Bottled Up Lightning
by TwilightCakes
Summary: COMPANION PIECE TO MY FIC 'UNTOUCHABLE'. Collin is scarred by a fight with a vampire he almost didn't survive.So how does he react when he suddenly imprints on Nahuel's venomous, half human, half vampire sister? Can ever he let himself love her?
1. Prologue: Nothing funny about it

_**Author's Note: **_

_**This story is a companion piece to my Jake/Ness fic, 'Untouchable'. **_

_**While you may still read this story without reading that one, there will be details and plot specifics that you may not understand. I would recommend reading that story first, as this story merely goes along with that timeline. Essentially, this piece was just a sub-plot that I wanted to explore both out of curiosity and from the reader feedback/love for the character Collin and my OC, Estrella. **_

_So, once again - you might want to read 'Untouchable' first before reading this story. We have the prologue and then it begins when Collin first walks into the kitchen and imprints on Estrella in Denali. _

_Enjoy!_

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_Prologue – Nothin' funny about it_

**Collin**

Do you want to know the funny thing about imprinting?

Nothing.

Are you nuts? There's nothing _funny _about it.

It's a crazy phenomenon that has cemented itself as a permanent fixture in the already not-so-normal tribe that I belong to. One would think that the fact I can explode into a giant wolf is crazy enough, right? Well, so I thought.

It took me a few weeks to get over that one. It had its perks – freedom, a pack of brothers, speed, agility, power, a sense of belonging…it wasn't all bad. I got used to it.

Then, I learned about imprinting.

Over the years spent in my strange state of being a young adult, frozen somewhere around my early twenties, I had seen this horrific magic do more damage than anything.

Take Jake for example: Here we are, about to leave for Denali, or Arctic Vampire Land, as Quil calls it, to go and protect his imprint from what could be a crazy rouge vampire. Why is she in Denali? Because they were friends, and then he went a kissed her a few weeks before her seventh birthday and they both freaked out like fourth graders. And don't even get me started about Quil. He can barely stop agonizing over Claire's junior high drama long enough to tie his shoe.

Some of them had happy endings, I'll give them that. But hardly any of them start out pretty. Both Sam and Embry had been happily dating other people when suddenly-WHAM! They went and imprinted. That had been a huge mess. Then, there were people like me and Brady. We were two of the oldest wolves who had yet to imprint. But what were we supposed to do in the meantime? Hide from girls? Become monks? Form a vow of chastity? We didn't' really have many options. If we did date and become attached to someone, we would have to do what Sam and Embry did – dump the unlucky girl and move on. And that was if we even imprinted in the first place. Some wolves never do.

That was the easy part – what if we imprinted on children? Or worse, a baby? It would be a little awkward to explain that to a crying teenage girl_. 'Sorry, I can't date you because I have a date at the sandbox with my..uh..friend.' _

And what if it never happens? Do you remain lonely your whole life? Just on the off chance that the odd form of Quileute magic will suddenly pick your perfect mate?

This was something I struggled with for a long time. Most of my life had been lonely enough. I wanted to date someone, as negative as I sound. I wanted love and happiness, just like the rest of my pack, and well…anyone really.

Don't we all want the same thing? To love and be loved in return? I think so.

I was no slow kid. Poor, yes, prone to bad luck, yes, but slow? Nah.

I had lived my whole life as a child who wasn't really wanted. I had spent more time alone in the first decade and a half of my life than most people ever would in their entire lives. I figured out early on that my parents didn't really want me. How do I know? Well, my dad hauled off and beat it early in my childhood, and I became the first one of many birth control mistakes my mother would make in her life. The first one of five, to be specific. But moving on…

Frankly, I wish my parents would have figured out birth control rather than bother with having me sometimes. What sucked more than feeling like that? Well, knowing that they probably felt the same way. They had never wanted me, and I had never really wanted them. I had a troubled childhood that was littered with crappy memories of my mom's stupid, abusive boyfriends, not enough food on the table, and being labeled a permanent babysitter and care-giver for all my younger siblings. Needless to say, I was basically a prisoner in my own house with no hope to ever escape. I would stay in La Push forever, try to finish high school…but that wasn't really high up on the list. Get a low-paying job, maybe get myself an old lady eventually, and let the cycle repeat. Well, maybe not. Maybe I was just being cynical; but really, if hearing all that didn't make you feel sorry for me, then what would?

Finding out that I was part of something bigger than my awful family, was the only thing that saved me for a long time.

Needless to say, discovering that I was a wolf was invigorating. I was one of the few that was absolutely thrilled. Sure, it was a little scary fighting the vampires and all, but it offered me something I had never had before: freedom. It offered me a way of escape from my awful, meaningless little life, something to do, something to belong to, and most importantly, a hope that I could actually be something significant. I didn't need to be important….I just wanted to matter to someone, anyone.

Being part of the pack was life changing. For once, I belonged. I had a place, a purpose, and friends. It was unlike anything else I had ever even dared hope for or dream of. One little peek into the minds of most of the guys would show you that they were scared; they felt like they were bound to a life time of having their inner most thoughts probed and poked at by their pack mates, and forced into a life of service and protecting our lands from monsters.

I loved it.

Once I got over the whole exploding/ spouting hair all over my skin/becoming a giant dog….yeah. Once I got over that, I was absolutely in love with the idea. I automatically had friends and a place to go when I couldn't take being at home anymore. Pack life offered me something I had never had before – an escape. And finally, I had a reason and a way to escape from life and all the crappy aspects of the one I was currently living.

I was big, strong, and practically invincible. Well, I met one vamp that nearly proved me wrong, but that's another story.

Finding out that there was a downside to all of this was shattering. I remember Sam explaining to it to me when I accidentally caught a glimpse into Leah's memories.

'_What do you mean, 'imprint'?','_ I had asked in complete shock and disgust.

Who did this Quileute magic think it was, choosing my girlfriend for me? _'Mate',_ Sam had corrected me.

_Geez, sorry. _

Because that sounds normal. Not.

After having it explained to me, I was horrified with the idea. When I first found out about it, I was only fifteen. I had a terrible home life to deal with, brothers and sisters to care for, and too much responsibility to even consider thinking about girls. I just didn't have the time. And now he tells me that I could one day run right smack into my soul mate? I didn't even get to have a say in the matter? I was astounded.

What if I imprinted and I didn't like her? Forget the 'true love forever' junk. What if mine was messed up? What if the cosmos sent me the wrong girl? What would I do then? What if I was bound to her, even if I didn't want to be?

See what I mean? There's nothing funny about this imprinting thing. .

Especially when it happened to me.

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There you have it! I hope you enjoyed a small peek into Collin's mind. Remember: if you haven't read Untouchable, you're still more than welcome to read this fic but you might not understand everything that's going on.

This was only the prologue; I'm expecting this fic to be about five or six chapters total. I'm going to post chapter one later on this week, so look for that! Chapter one picks up when Collin walks into the kitchen in Denali and lays eyes on Estrella for the first time. Like I said, this is just a sub-plot that I really wanted to explore more. I don't have an update schedule for it, but the chapters are shot and sweet so far, and I'm really enjoying writing it. All of you really loved the characters Collin and Estrella, so I thought I would indulge this little plot bunny that wouldn't go away.

Please let me know what you think!


	2. Chapter 1: Trouble, Trouble, Trouble

I'm back with another one! I got some good responses from the Prologue, so I decided to go ahead and get the first chapter up. This is basically just a refresher chapter that gives us a little more insight to Collin and why is like he is around vampires. It also runs over the events of Untouchable that lead up to the infamous kitchen scene where Collin meets his imprint. Enjoy!

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**Chapter 1 – Trouble, Trouble, Trouble**

**Collin**

I knew something big was going to happen the moment Jake phased and told me that expected the pack in Denali by morning. However, nothing in my nearly eight years of being a wolf would have helped me see just how big this something was. And let me tell you…it was big.

Jake had been having trouble with his imprint, Renesmee, ever since she matured. I had been in his head countless times while patrolling, and I could begin to see that his interests in her were changing. It wasn't anything cheap or wrong; he didn't even think of her sexually at the time. He basically just had a little crush on her. Not that I blamed him - Renesmee had always been beautiful. Just a few weeks before her seventh birthday, she began to look _really _beautiful, if you get me. Jake took notice. Then, one night he did something that sent a whole series of events into motion that bring me to why I was called up to Denali.

Here is where all of my trouble starts. Not that I wasn't used to my life being full of problems…

You see, I live in the type of world where nothing can ever be really hunky dory for long. I've only been happy a few times in my life. I've always had this feeling of dread in my stomach…like it was too good to be true. I mean, it usually was, so that's no shocker there, but that's beside the point.

The pack had all been pretty content for most of my time as a wolf. The big fights of our time all came before I was really big enough to play a major role. That was the part that sucked the most about it. Sure, we had leeches that were coming out of the woodwork to destroy us, and I couldn't wait to fight with the rest of my pack. Sam had bigger plans for me. This biggest fight of them all, and I didn't even get to do anything. Not one thing. The funny part is, I remember being absolutely pissed as hell about it for weeks after that. I wanted to get a hold of an actual mean filthy bloodsucker and rip it to shreds. Literally – I wanted to just go ape shit on one of them, just to see what it was like. However, they all left pretty much peacefully and all went their separate ways. I had missed my chance, and things were diplomatic yet again.

Like I said, things never stayed nice for me for very long. I got my chance with a vampire eventually.

It happened about two years later when I was still young and thought I was hot shit. Who could blame me? I was a studly, young, massive were wolf with speed, strength, and more rage than I would ever know what to do with. Nothing could get past me!

Except for this one guy.

I was out patrolling with my pack mate Brady one night, and I remember it was one of our first nights going at it alone. Sam was getting older, and wanting to phase less for Emily's sake, so we were being trained to take on more responsibility. Brady was taking the North quarter, and I was taking the South. Remember how I thought I was the coolest thing to hit the planet since the dinosaurs? Yeah, I lost that feeling real fast when this one leech shot out of nowhere and attacked me.

I don't mean he swiped at me and chased me around a bit either. No…this thing came out of nowhere and bit the crap out of my back leg, which is basically poison for a wolf. I was gimping around in complete agony when the fucker came at me again! I thought I was done for. All this time, wanting to get my stupid paws on a leech and then one comes along out of the blue and almost ripped my leg off. That was a fight I almost didn't win, and it has been a fight I think about every day since it happened.

He nearly had me – if Brady wouldn't have come to save my ass, I know I would be one very dead pup at the moment. That wasn't the worst part of it though. Knowing that my brothers could see inside my head and feel the shame I felt for almost failing at what I was born to do was hard enough.

Every single one of them knew how much I wanted to kill a leech of my very own – one we were actually allowed to attack for once. Anyway, it was by far the scariest experience of my life, and that's no easy thing for a wolf to admit. I'm born to kill these creatures, and they literally scare the shit out of me.

Take the Cullens for example. Now, they're not as horrible, but many of them still scare the crap out of me. Take Edward. In a fight, he would have been able to hear anything I planned to do in defense before I had even finished the thought. I'm rather glad he's on our side.

So, you can imagine how _thrilled_ I was to be going up to Denali with the rest of my pack to help out my Alpha. Of course I would go for Jake, but that certainly didn't mean that I was going to be _happy_ about it. Staying in a house full of vampires was never a fun thing. I foresaw a lot of sleeping outside than hanging around the crypt. It said a lot that I would rather brave the icy, Alaskan nights rather than sleep indoors with team vamp.

As I mentioned we were going up to Denali to help Jake deal with his imprint, Renesmee. You see, Edward and Bella had forbidden Jake to tell Renesmee about the imprint until she was fully grown, or seven years old. Jake agreed because well, he didn't want to piss off the in-laws that he would have until the end of forever. Jacob kissing Renesmee presented him with a whole other set of problems besides announcing he had imprinted on her.

You see, He had agreed with Edward and Bella not to touch Renesmee or mention the imprint until she was fully matured. This would have been on her seventh birthday, but of course - Jacob ignored his little promise and kissed her anyway that night. His promise to Nessie's parents was officially broken. Why he kissed her the night before he had to leave for college was beyond me. Maybe he didn't want to leave without her knowing how he really felt about her. Maybe he was curious. Maybe he just couldn't help himself any longer. Whatever it was, I wasn't sure. I just know that it messed up his life almost permanently.

He left the next day and went away to college, and Nessie became really depressed because she still didn't know about the imprint. Like any girl, she freaked out. Jacob claimed it was a mistake and that he didn't mean to kiss her, which upset the poor girl even more. Her parents decided to take the family up to Denali, Alaska to help take her mind off things. That was where the real trouble started.

Then Denali family of vegetarian vampires had adopted two brothers who were newborns. I guess some accident had convinced Tanya, the coven's leader, that they needed to be transformed into vampires. One of the brothers adjusted well to their lifestyle, and let's just say the other one - not so much. So basically, we were blessed with a pair of newborn brothers into the fang-filled family. Creating new vampires is like playing with fire - you never know what can happen. Some fires are completely controllable while others can get out of control really quickly. This is what happened with the newborn vamps that Tanya had created. While brother number one stayed with the family and got along pretty well, brother number two took off to live as a real vampires do - killing humans and drinking from them. Basically, he was a thirsty murderer running wild.

Renesmee started to have feelings for brother number one, and that's where the trouble continued. Stefan, as he was called, had caught Nessie's eye and was giving Jake a run for his money. I didn't know that imprintees could actually be attracted to other males. Sometimes I think Renesmee just gave Stefan attention to mess with Jake while he was down at school. I got the feeling that she just wanted to get back at him. Either way, he was thousands of miles away and she was running around the backwoods of Alaska with a new vampire that was attempting to romance her. It gets better. Jake caught wind of all of this and let me tell you he was _pissed. _

We had barely recovered from _that news _when a new scent turned up around Forks. One that was undoubtedly that of shady vampire. We tried to track it, but the rain and his use of a car made it really difficult to figure out where he was and what he was doing. We didn't have time to worry about that, for daddy vamp Edward made the call and summoned us up north.

The wild brother, or brother number two as I called him, showed up within days and picked a fight with Jacob over Renesmee. Wouldn't you know that his scent was the same one we had been chasing around Forks? I already didn't like the guy. You can imagine how Jake felt when brother number two, Damon, expressed his interest in Nessie. Jake was even _more_ pissed. Now, I liked Nessie just fine but if she didn't stop flirting with all these damn guys I was going to go nuts. So far Jake, brother number one, and brother number two were after her. I guess she was getting back at Jake for kissing her and then ditching her to go to school. I would have been upset too, but this was ridiculous.

Imagine our surprise when Renesmee jumped into a sports car with Brother number two and took off the next weekend. I thought Jake was gonna lose it. Alice stopped him from tracking her, claiming that she needed to go have this life experience and for us to stop sheltering her from everything. Well, what we didn't know was that Brother number two was apparently a shield like Bella and could actually block other vampire's talents and 'show' vampires like Alice and Edward what he wanted them to see.

Long story short…Renesmee figured this out and ran home several days later. She had actually used her talent to escape him after he tried to hold her captive. He had threatened to take her to the Volturi and let them know that she was romantically interested in a werewolf. She had eventually gotten lose and returned, filling us in on his master plan. We knew he would be coming back for her, so we waited, ready to attack. To make matters even more confusing, Alice hunted down Nahuel to come talk to a confused Renesmee. She was upset because she didn't belong anywhere and felt like a freak for being a hybrid – something I can definitely identify with. At least I had a pack of other 'freaks' that were just like me. Poor Nessie had no one.

However, Nahuel didn't come alone. I had heard Tanya mumbling something about more half breeds running around the house, but I hadn't paid much attention. Tanya was old and bitter and a tad scary when she was in a bad mood, so I generally avoided her and ignored her comments.

That brings me to what happened this morning.

Jake and I had just gotten back from patrol and were starving. I was elated to find that Carmen had decided to learn how to cook, and was doing so for us in the kitchen. I remember following the scent of cooking pasta the moment we entered the back doors of the house. However, the smell of food was laced with something else. _Something…exotic…fruity…and really fucking good. _

I sniffed the air again as Jake clicked the door shut. "Do you smell that?" I asked, frowning at him.

"Yeah. Pasta," He grunted, gingerly wiping his feet on the doormat. I glared at him again, turning my nose toward the kitchen.

"Yeah, but-"

"Let's eat."

_Thanks, Jake_, I thought bitterly. We moved toward the kitchen and the smell of food got stronger, but so did the other smell. _What the…_

The rest of my pack was already in the kitchen, standing around – Brady, Embry, Quil, and Seth, and they were joined with Renesmee and Carmen. I also recognized Nahuel, the half breed from the Volturi war, but two other people were with him.

The first woman was medium sized and had dark brown skin, although it shone with a strange pearlescent glow that Renesmee had. Her hair was a light brown but tinged blonde like my hair got when I spent too much time in the sun. It was curly and wild and stuck out in all directions. I calmed myself when she looked up at me with dark brown eyes that were like Renesmee's as well_. Okay, so at least not more full vampires, _I thought to myself.

My nostrils suddenly flared as the exotic flavor filled them, nearly knocking me over. My eyes shifted a little to the left, and the next thing I know, my life as I knew it changed forever. There she was.

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I hope this chapter helped clarify a few things. I said before that if you haven't read 'Untouchable' then this story won't make much sense. However, I did try to review the key points of that story in this chapter to make sure we're all on the same page. I hope it helped!

This is the last 'reviewing' chapter. In the next chapter, Collin meets 'someone' ; ) and we move on with the story. Remember, it does move along with the storyline for 'Untouchable' but it will also have it's own little events. Remember to check out my photo bucket (link is on my profile) for pics of Collin, Estrella, Denali, and all of the other characters.

Enjoy and please review! : )


	3. Chapter 2: Struck by Lightning

**Chapter 2 – Struck by lightning**

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I felt my jaw drop open slightly, and my breath began to quicken. It felt like my heart had increased ten sizes in a split second, just to be able to encase the feelings I now had for her. There she was…my imprint.

_Wait…my imprint? _

I tried to focus, but it was like my brain couldn't work right. It was slow and fuzzy, and the only part that was in focus was her. An imaginary beacon of light shone from behind her head, casting a warm glow on my body as I took her in. She was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen in my entire life. It was like taking every happy moment, every pretty picture, and every warm tingle I had ever felt and rolling it into a ball. When I laid eyes on her, that ball exploded around my heart, tying iron cables to her. No, it was more like they were being welded. But I didn't care...she was the most important thing now.

She was leaning against the counter of the kitchen where I now stood, taking in the sight of my brothers with large eyes. Oh my god, her eyes. They were the largest orbs of the most beautiful sea green I had ever seen. _No, they were also tinged with blue. They were…aqua?_ I wasn't sure what to call them other than _beautiful._ Call me crazy, but I hadn't really spent that much time thinking about girls and their colors of their eyes.

But _hers_…hers I would stare at forever.

I tried to focus enough to actually look at her, and not just stare into her eyes. Not that that was hard; every other part of her was more beautiful than the next.

She had the longest legs I had ever seen, even if they were shrouded in the ugliest jeans ever. I was almost mad at the jeans themselves for being so ugly and having the audacity to adorn her perfect body. She was like a model; tall, slender, and unearthly gorgeous. She had tan skin that shimmered slightly under my sensitive eyes, but it wasn't like the sheen from a normal vampire.

Wait…_vampire._ The word rang in my head, breaking through the clouds she had put there. The drunk feeling shrunk away, and suddenly I was aware that she was definitely not human. My imprint was not a human.

_Oh. My. God. _

My heart felt like it had stalled in my chest. Holy shit. I tried to concentrate on the things around me, but I could still only stare at her in wonder and shock. The panic swirled inside my chest, making it hard to breathe.

She wasn't human…but she wasn't a vampire. No, I could smell her and vampires certainly did not smell like _that._

I watched as her ocean colored eyes shifted from mine to dart around the hot kitchen where everyone was standing. Suddenly, she had noticed that we were now the center of attention, and I could tell…no…_feel_ that she didn't care for it. The urge to sweep her up and take her away from all the prying eyes was overwhelming. I just wanted to do something for her.

Slowly, my eyes shifted to the other new woman in the room. She was wild looking; her curly hair stood up and away from her head, finally falling around her shoulders in blonde curls. Her stance was defensive, as if she was afraid that I was going to attack her. Were these two related? The smelled similar, and their faces looked almost…sisterly. Carmen, the Spanish vampire that I almost trusted, watched the scene with amused eyes as she stirred our food on the stove.

One by one, I became vaguely aware that my pack mates were figuring out what had just happened to me. Shit. I had imprinted, and they all knew it. My eyes shifted back to the girl that had somehow become the center of my universe as a chorus of chuckles and whispers rose up between the other wolves.

"Oh shit," I heard Embry say.

"Oh…my…god…" Brady laughed. Seth just looked between the two of them, a look of shock on his face, and Jacob just smiled.

"Did I miss something?" Renesmee asked suddenly, and every eye in the room shot to meet hers. .

"Collin, you alright man?" Jacob asked cautiously, and I felt him put his hand on my shoulder. I felt like everyone else was suddenly a million miles away. I jumped at the feeling of his skin on mine, yanking my head over to look at him.

"What?"

"Are you alright?" Jacob repeated, and I followed his eyes as he looked at my imprint. _Why was he looking at her? How dare he look at her!_

The human in me was still horrified at what the messed up Quileute magic had done to me. My wolf side, however, wanted to rip Jacob's throat out for simply looking at her. She was _mine. _

_Wait….stop thinking such insane things. I don't want to kill Jake. He…he didn't do anything to me. He just looked at her, _my sane side rationalized with me.

I watched the long legged beauty as her eyes scanned the crowd that now watched us. I felt myself inhale slightly as she took a tentative step forward, her eyes questioning. I thought my heart was going to explode out of my chest it was beating so hard. When she finally stopped in front of me, I realized that she was even more beautiful up close. I could see the flawlessness of her skin; the smoothness of her plump lips; how her long eyelashes brushed her cheeks when she blinked….

She was beautiful.

I knew I was staring, but the rest of the world was still a million miles away as I stood there, frozen, arguing with my rational and irrational sides. Instinct told me to go to her; rationality told me to run as far away as I could.

She blinked a few times as she stared back at me, seeming equally entranced by me as I was with her_. Did she know? Could she possibly feel it too?_

I watched as she slowly smiled, a tiny breeze of breath escaping her lips. It washed over me and put me even further under her enchanting spell. Her expression changed, almost to one that was expectant. I fought to make my mind work correctly and do something or say something but I just couldn't. She turned her head, looking at the two she had come with.

Then she opened her mouth and I heard the most horrible word come from the most perfect mouth.

"Blood?"

Time stood still as I realized what she had said. She was _thirsty._ A chill of disgust raced through my body as I realized what she wanted. My imprint wanted blood, because my imprint was thirsty. Because she was a vampire.

Realization set in as I watched her pout her pink lips and jut out her chin. I jerked back to attention when I heard the half breed man shift from the other side of the kitchen.

"She wants to hunt," Nahuel said slowly. "I should probably take her. She's gotten used to feeding now, and doesn't care as much for human food," he explained slowly, his eyes darting to me.

"Come, Estrella," Nahuel urged her gently. "We'll go find some squirrels for you," he added. She looked like she recognized the word, and left eagerly with him, casing one last questioning glance in my direction.

When the three of the bronze skinned half breeds had disappeared, I looked at Jacob for help. They all looked as shocked as I felt. I could hear my heartbeat ringing in my ears. I felt myself start to sweat. I had to get out of there.

"I gotta….I…I'll…be…somewhere else," he muttered, bolting from the room.

I don't even remember how I got outside. One minute, I was in the kitchen, surrounded by her intoxicating coconut and citrus scent, and the next I was out on the snow covered lawn. I tried to get my hands to stop shaking, but they wouldn't cooperate.

I sighed as I realized in defeat that I was going to phase against my will for the first time since I was fifteen. My limbs seared with heat as I crouched over, letting the change take over. The familiar tingling sensation ripped through my spine, contorting my body for a split second. I hit the ground on four paws.

The change always make me feel better; when I was a wolf, I was more sure of myself. I could handle things better. But today, nothing seemed to help. I turned my head to look back at the house as an unfamiliar tightening began to rise in my chest.

What the hell was this? My chest felt like screws being drilled into dry wood; it was too tight and just felt wrong. I felt myself shudder as I tried to calm down. I didn't need to be freaking out on the back lawn of the Denali home. I glanced back at the large, three story log cabin mansion and tried to ignore the feeling that was already pulling me back to the house.

Where she was.

I took off, my paws digging into the snow. I could feel chunks of ice fly up with every movement of my powerful legs as I tore away from the house. The feeling in my chest gnawed at my resolve; every cell in my body was telling me to go back to that house and be near my imprint.

I shuddered. Imprint.

However, my mind was busy torturing me with an instant replay of the vampire attack that had almost taken my life…

_Scraping, biting, fighting for my life….watching out of the corner of my eye as my own fur fluttered to the ground. Screaming endlessly for help in my head, or praying that my attacker would soon be done with me…_

No. I would not imprint on her. They were all wrong – they had to be when it came to situations like these. I didn't care if Jake had done it; I didn't' want to imprint on that freak and I refused to let myself. My mind brought a picture of her razor sharp teeth as she smiled at me to the front of my mind. A horrified shudder rippled through my body at the thought of the monster back at the house.

_She's only beautiful to attract prey. That's what they do…they use it to lure people in. Without being so pretty, vampires would never be able to attract people. It's what makes them so awful…_I thought.

I thought of my imprint's face. Her flushed, bronze cheeks and pink lips…and those eyes…

Each time I slipped and called her that in my mind, my feet would stumble as if to punish me for thinking about her. I didn't' want to think about her – I didn't' want to love her, be with her, or have anything to do with her.

I cringed as I felt a shimmer in the air._ Jacob. _

_Wait up! _He called out, his own set of paws hitting the ground. I kept running.

My mind froze for a second as I began to panic. How did I explain this to him? I knew he wouldn't want to listen. I tried as hard as I could to block my thoughts from him. The less people knew, the better_. No, I…I can't Jake…I don't want to talk about it._

_Collin, stop running. I need to talk to you._

_Jake…_ I said in a pleading tone. I showed him my desire to be as far away from the house as possible.

_STOP! _Jacob boomed in his head, the double timbre of the Alpha male ringing in his voice. I felt him cringe internally, and I had to remember that I respected Jake, as much as I didn't want to talk to him at the moment. He always hated giving orders, and he rarely did it. I knew that he meant it, and I could feel my legs obeying to his command.

I stopped, swishing my tail nervously. I did not want to talk about this now, and especially not with him. He was having his own mess of trouble with his imprint; that was specifically why we were here. We were on the hunt for the vampire that had become his competition for his mate. Jacob and Renesmee had a messy relationship right now, and it was all because of imprinting. I wanted no part of that.

_You don't have a choice, Collin,_ I heard Jacob say.

_I didn't imprint on that freak. It didn't happen. Jake…no_, I said, my mind struggling to work properly. I felt Jacob wince and shudder internally as I refused to come to grips with what had happened.

_Collin…you imprinted. There's no getting around it. You can't deny what just happened back there. Believe me…I've tried. Just…try to be happy man. This is a good thing. _

_No, it's no Jake. Did you forget that I was almost killed by a vampire? How can you expect me to imprint on one?_

_Yes Collin, I know. But I also know that you imprinted, and there's nothing you can do to break that bond._

_Bullshit Jake. I want nothing to do with her. _

He sensed my stubbornness and determination. With a grunt, he stood up and shook his head at me.

_You're not going to talk to me yet. You need to go cool down. _

_I want to be left alone, and I want to stay away from her. I don't want this Jake. I don't' like it one bit, and….I'm not going to ever accept it. So you can just take whatever pre-planned imprint speech you have and shove it. _

A low growl rumbled in his chest as he registered my words of defiance. I knew that I deserved to have my ass handed to me for speaking to the Alpha like that, but I knew Jake would let it slide this time. He knew how shaken I was; I could sense it.

_You're right. I'll let it slide for now. But you're going to have to deal with this eventually. It won't go away no matter how you try to think of it. Deny it all you want…but you saw what that did to my relationship with Ness. Trying to live without my imprint when I went away to college…or tried to…it was hell. It was pure hell, Collin. And I wish you all the best in trying to live without her, because..it almost killed me. _

_Whatever,_ I snarled, turning around. I wanted to get away from him, from the monster, and from that tomb of dead things they called a house.

How was it possible that I was pre-destined to be with someone when she stood for everything I hated?

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Well, what did you think? This isn't the normal story where the wolf just 'hates' imprinting and thinks it's stupid - Collin was okay with the idea of imprinting. I think he was even waiting for it to happen in the back of his mind. But what happens when he's actually afraid of what he had imprinted on? Part of him tells him she's beautiful and made just for him, yet the other part warns him that vampires are nothing but trouble. What do you think? Can you see why this would be hard for him?

I'd love to hear your thoughts!


	4. Chapter 3: Run

**Chapter 3: Run**

After Jake left me in the woods, I was left alone with my thoughts. I wasn't sure what I thought of that…my head was currently a very scary place to be. On the other hand, I needed to get myself together. I was the only member of the pack in wolf form for the moment, and I was glad. I needed time to think.

_How could I have imprinted on a vampire? _

I knew you couldn't pick who you imprinted on, but a vampire? _Half vampire, _my mind echoed to me. Shaking my large head, I tried to banish the idea. She was still a _vampire_. Vampires moved like lightning, drank blood, and were technically the living dead. It didn't matter that she was half - she still had the potential to be a complete and utter monster. She could be uncontrollable for all I knew. All I _did_ know was that I didn't want to find out. I wanted nothing to do with her.

_You can't fight it…you know you can't. You know Jake is right about her…you'll succumb…_

I tried and tried to fight the voice in my subconscious, but it wasn't behaving. I didn't want to think about her…I did want to think _of _her period. I picked up my pace to a run and began heading North. My paws hit the ground with soft _thuds. _I wanted to get as far away from her as possible and yet…the further I got, the tighter my chest got. I took large breaths of the chilly, fresh air hoping it would help but…the tightening only got worse. Is this what Jake was talking about? How it's impossible to stay away from someone once you've imprinted? It couldn't be. He had left Renesmee to go to school, and he didn't die.

_He didn't do well, either._

I roamed the Alaskan countryside for hours, feeling restless. I probably could have run and swam my way to Russia before noticing that I wasn't feeling any better. An uneasy, tight feeling had settled over my body and I didn't care for it. Before I knew what I was doing, I found myself heading back in the direction of Denali.

Running home was much easier than running away…or was that in my head? I tried to convince myself that it was. However, I couldn't ignore the way my chest felt much better as I ran. The sickeningly tight feeling I had had for days was beginning to ease up. It felt…warm almost. My feet felt feather light as they raced across the snow, and my head seemed clear. I wanted to go home. I wanted to be near her.

Even if I _was_ scared to death of her.

As beautiful as she was, I couldn't ignore the way the light in the kitchen had caught her sharp teeth. I couldn't deny the way her skin shone under my gifted eyes; it was a warning signal that she was dangerous. Her movements were quick and choppy, like she couldn't possibly be around humans without looking alien and unnatural. All signs pointed to the fact that this girl was dangerous.

By the time I got back to the Denali house, I was exhausted for the first time in a long time. I knew I had run several hundred miles, but that usually didn't bother my endurance one bit. I usually loved long, solitary runs. However, I was strangely elated to get back to the house even if I did sneak in and go to find a place to hide. I wasn't ready to face anyone again.

As soon as I opened the back door to the house, I could smell her. When I listened, I could pick out her thrumming heartbeat over the sounds of the other half breeds in the house. It was strange really. I was scared of her, but I was also…_drawn_ to her. Like a magnet.

I kept my head down and my features blank as I slipped into the library of the Denali home. Not only was I tired, but I suddenly felt cold. _Impossible, _my mind said to me. Even so, I was drawn to the huge fireplace that was in the corner of the large room. Even though I knew I couldn't really be cold, I still sat down cross legged in front of the fire and held out my hands. The additional heat felt good.

I don't know how long I stayed there before I heard Jake's footsteps coming down towards the library. Although things with Renesmee weren't entirely worked out yet, he still seemed better. When he was getting along with his imprint, the entire pack could feel it.

"There you are," he said, sticking his head into the large room. I knew Jake would have cooled down by now after I smarted off to him in the woods. I also knew he was trying to be my friend, but I really just wished he would beat it. However, I did need to remember that he was still my Alpha and I needed to treat him with respect.

I stayed put in front of the fire, tossing my hair out my eyes. "What?" I asked sharply.

I watched Jacob's face twitch. He was a fiery asshole sometimes when he was in stubborn mode, and I knew I was pushing his buttons. But right now…I just didn't care. Maybe if I made myself look like I wasn't looking for any advice, he would leave me alone to sulk. I wasn't hoping for any advice, even if it was friendly.

I knew imprinting wasn't something that could be taken lightly. I also realized that I was no exception. I knew that I would somehow have to come to terms with this…whether I avoided her forever or just pretended like she didn't exist.

The leather of the old couch squeaked as Jacob sat down behind me. I stared straight ahead at the flames, ignoring him on purpose. I wasn't ready to talk.

"What's wrong with you?"

I heard myself snort. My head sunk down as I ran my hands through my tangled, shaggy hair. It needed a cut, but that was last on my list of worries right now. But oh how I _wished_ it was first. Instead I had to worry if my imprint would drain me of all of my blood.

"Are you going to answer me?"

I laughed bitterly, still staring at the flames.

"Did you just imprint on a freaking hybrid vampire?" I snapped at him. If he wanted to get into this, then fine. We would get into it. If he wanted to talk about my fucked up imprint situation, then so be it.

Jacob snorted. "Yeah, I did. About seven and a half years ago!"

I bit my lip as I realized he was right. "Oh yeah…I guess you did."

"Yeah, I did," Jacob said sternly in his best authoritative _'duh' _voice. I felt like an ass as his expression softened. It was obvious that he was really going out on a limb here to help me.

"I'm sorry man," I said finally, feeling like an idiot. He raised one eyebrow at me, but said nothing.

"I just…I don't know what to do. I've waited for her for years and now…now look at her!"

"It's a good thing she doesn't understand English," Jacob chuckled. "What's the big deal?" he asked, trying to remain casual.

I gaped at him. "Jake, man…I hate vampires. I mean, the Alaska vamps and the Cullens are all fine, and Ness is great, but…I just…I imprinted on one. You know me Jake. I _hate_ vampires. Now I've gone and imprinted on one. What the hell? The universe must hate me. I feel like I'm being punished, Jake…you don't get it."

Jacob snorted. "You can't help it. It's natural." I rolled my eyes at him. He talked with such a casual tone that it was almost comical.

Another bitter laugh escaped from me. "It's natural to imprint on a freak?"

Jacob recoiled slightly, his expression quickly darkening. "Careful," he growled. "I imprinted on a half breed, too."

"Yeah but...that's Ness. She's like a human, just…more durable. That girl in there…"

"What about her? She looked perfect for you. What's the problem?"

"She's half a vampire, Jake. What am I supposed to do? You know how I feel about vampires. I almost got killed by one, like…really killed! How do you think I'm going to react to imprinting on someone who is half one?"

Jacob shook his head. "That's not for you to worry about, like I said earlier. You imprinted on her, and that's that. Take that as the universe telling you what's what. What are you bitching about? At least yours is full grown when you met her!"

"It doesn't matter…I don't want her."

Now it was Jacob's turn to look incredulous. "What, are you _dreaming_? You can't refuse it. You'd die trying…believe me, I would know."

"You think I'd die trying to avoid that?"

"Careful. My Ness is the same as her…" Jacob warned, leaning closer to me. I could hear a warning growl as it grew deep in his chest. I shook my head and turned back to the fire.

"I don't want this Jake. She's not for me."

"She is, Collin. Obviously she is! Otherwise you wouldn't have imprinted on her. What are you going to do now?"

"I'm not going to go anywhere near her."

Jacob laughed. "Yeah," he said with a mocking grin. "You just let me know how that works out for you."

"You don't know what you're talking about."

Jacob guffawed loudly. "The hell I don't! Where the hell have you been, Collin? I just spent the last how many months avoiding my imprint and doing things the hard way and we both nearly paid dearly for it. It would have killed me if something happened to Ness, and it would have been my own damn fault."

"Took you long enough," I muttered.

"Exactly man, that's what I'm trying to tell you! You can't avoid this imprinting thing, and nothing will be right with the world again until you get this sorted out. Did you not like…SEE what happened to me the past few months? Open your eyes and don't make my same mistakes!"

I leaned forward, grabbing fistfuls of my own hair in complete misery. "I just…I can't. I can't imprint on a hybrid."

Jacob nearly knocked the wind out of me when he smacked me on the back. "You can, and you did. Deal."

I whipped my head up to look at him again in disgust. "How the hell am I going to do that? I'm terrified of….I just…it can't be."

I watched him think, the wheels in his head turning as he tried to come up with a justifiable answer.

"Collin, think of it this way. You imprinted on someone else who isn't human. Okay, I can see how that would have you a bit shaken."

"A bit?" I snapped. Jacob held up his hands at me, silencing me.

"Hold on. Just work with me. Think about it: your mate is going to be someone like you. Someone different, someone who understands how it is to be like us. Emily and Rachel are great, but…they don't get it. They never will, and that's not their fault. But imagine what it's like to be with someone like you."

"She is NOT like me," I spat.

"Just listen. I'm telling you what life could be like, Collin. I've just gotten a taste of it with Ness, and…it's amazing so far to be with someone like that. She knows what it's like to be different – to have a secret. When we're together we get each other."

"Lately, you haven't been sure," I pointed out. He had had nothing but trouble with Nessie lately; there was too much going on in her life right now to even consider taking their relationship seriously yet.

"I know things have been hard lately, but I can't help but feel like that's going to turn around. You don't get it – you're made for each other. Things have to turn around. That's what I've learned through all of this."

"So what if it doesn't work out with someone like her?"

Jacob laughed. "How could it not? Think about it, Collin – you won't have to worry about hurting her physically. She'll be fast…you can just go out together and just run. Really run. She can keep up with you, she can be with you when you're in wolf form and understand what it's like to not be normal. You'll have someone to share that with – forever."

I looked up at him in shock. "Forever?"

Jacob nodded. "She's a hybrid, Collin. She's like Ness – she's immortal, just like us."

"Hey man, I don't' have to live forever. I can stop phasing and die eventually." Even though I said them, the words still sounded like a lie even to my own ears.

Jacob shook his head. "You don't get it. You won't _want_ to die."

I tried to process what he was trying to tell me as calmly as I could. "You really mean it, don't you? You're sure she's like us? She's immortal?"

Jake nodded. "That's what they said about her."

I stared down at my hands that were folded in my lap. Forever? I hadn't thought of that before. I knew in the back of my mind that Jacob wasn't ever going to die….he couldn't. At least, not while Renesmee was around. She was immortal. "That's crazy…I could like…I could live forever. I could phase for the rest of my life," I heard myself say.

Jacob nodded. "You see? It won't be so bad. I'll always be around. Everyone else…they'll get old and change, but we'll still be here."

"That's kinda sad," I admitted. I thought of all my pack mates and friends with mortal imprints; Quil, Seth, Sam, Jared, Paul…They would all die someday. And I would be left behind, never changing, never growing, and never dying.

"I know. But you don't get it – it won't be sad because she'll be there. That will be all that matters soon – if you let it."

I looked up at him, my insides churning with confusion. I had no idea what to do, even after talking with my Alpha.

"I just don't think I can."

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

I sulked alone in the library for the rest of the night. I tried to sleep on the soft leather couches, but every time I did manage to find sleep…the nightmares would find me.

I dreamt I was running thought the forest at night, unable to phase. No matter how hard I tried, I could never get the familiar heat to flow up my spine that gave me four paws. It wouldn't come. To make matters worse, I was being chased. I was running like my life depended on it from vampires. Not just any vampires either; the most beautiful, horribly terrifying looking vampires imaginable to me. Their long, silky hair flowed out behind them as they chased me through the dark night with their blood red eyes. Each time one was about to bite, I would wake up.

After awhile…I gave up on sleep.

When the early morning sunlight finally came streaming through the tall windows of the library, I gave up on getting any rest. It was obvious that I wasn't supposed to get any sleep.

"Of course not. Sleep would just make me well-rested and rational…but who needs that?" I muttered bitterly to myself as I pulled my t-shirt back on. I shuffled out of the library, pausing only in the bathroom to splash some cold water on my cheeks. I grabbed the soap that was sitting on the counter and scrubbed my face, hoping that would help me wake up and clear my head.

_This soap smells good….like lime and…oh crap!_

I jerked my head up, water still streaming down my face. My nostrils flared and my eyes went wide as I saw her in the mirror, standing behind me in the hall.

There she was. My heart started racing and my breaths become shallow as I stared at her in the mirror. She stood in the hall, perfectly still. Her piercing blue-green eyes stared back at me as I stood, water dripping down my face.

I stared at her, suddenly unable to move. It felt like she had sucked me into her ocean colored eyes and pinned me there…but I didn't mind. My mind was screaming at me to move, escape, do something…but I couldn't. Instead I just stood there, staring at her. I could have stayed there forever, letting her gaze at me in wonder.

I stood in a trance for I don't know how long. It could have been seconds, it could have been days. Either way I was a prisoner in those eyes. And then…she moved. Towards me. She was coming towards me.

I gasped and jumped, backing up against the sink. My instincts cursed at me, telling me not to be such a coward.

_Attack! End her now! _

_No! She is yours! This is your mate!_

The two sides screamed at each other, battling it out between my head and my heart. My head began to pound as my heart slammed against my chest. Every sense in my body went into overload as she moved slowly toward me. I could hear the pads of her feet moving on the cold tile floor of the hallway. I gripped the sink, completely frozen. Did I push past her? Attack her?

My body answered for me as I stood there paralyzed. She moved slowly; tentatively. Closer and closer she got, but in slow motion. Finally, she was in the tiny room with me, staring at me with wide eyes. The expression on her face was curious…_curious and..playful? _

She was right in front of me She was so close, I could smell her. I could smell her quite clearly, actually. Her scent swirled around me; it was tropical and intense, but I liked it. She smelled like a day at the beach with a twist of citrus. That was laced with something else…something like vanilla frosting. Had she been eating?

My mind fought to regain control of the sensory overload this girl…this _thing_ was causing me. And then it happened. She smiled at me.

There she stood, not two feet in front of me and she was smiling at me. I stood frozen, still unable to move as I stared at her in my trance-like state.

Her hand rose up, slowly towards mine and then when our skin touched it was like I had been burnt by a white hot sparkler, but the heat was nice. It was a good heat; it was heat I hadn't felt in years. It sent a jolt through my body like none other. I felt like I had been struck by lightning. And it woke me up.

I pushed past her quickly, suddenly aware of what was happening. She was touching me. That monster was touching me. I knew I sounded like a scared little girl, but….I was scared. She was a monster. The same type of monster that had almost killed me.

I ran from the bathroom and didn't look back.

**x-x-x-x-x-xx-x**

**I hope you are all enjoying Collin and Estrella's mini story! Please leave me a review, I'd love to hear your thoughts on these two : )**


	5. Chapter 4:Fight or Flight

**Chapter 4: Fight or Flight**

I spent the next four days sulking in the tree line beside the house. The pines gave me the cover I wanted where I could properly sulk in privacy, all while keeping the house in my view. Strangely, I didn't want to go far this time. I wanted - no, _needed_ to stay close. I couldn't explain it and I was so angry with myself that I didn't care to. All I knew was that I was pissed at myself. Pissed as hell.

My pack mates knew I was going through a rough time. I could sense the underlying tone of pity in their thoughts every time they thought about me while phased. I didn't care though. I wanted to wallow alone, and they let me.

On the sixth day since the…_incident_….Jake came trotting out to me in wolf form. It had been an entire six days since I had imprinted. I felt like I could identify the minutes one by one since I had first seen her face. It felt like milliseconds and decades at the same time.

My entire body as my Alpha approached me.

_Are you doing any better?_

_Do I look better? _I snapped at him. He gave me a warning growl.

_I'm only trying to help, jackass. You have one day._

_One day what?_

_One day to get your shit together. There's a vampire on the lose that's out to get even with me and my imprint, and I'm going to need your help soon. You have one day to get things straightened out in your head…and then you're going to have to resume patrols, just like the rest of us. _

_Aye aye, captain, _I said saucily to him. He gave me a scowl but moved on. He was leaving with Edward and Bella to do some patrols. They were all taking turns looking for this rogue vampire that had a vendetta with Renesmee. One thing about vampires….they can hold a grudge.

I sat on my haunches, staring at the house. The familiar noise did nothing to sooth my ears.

_Thump. Thump. Thump. _

Her heart fluttered in the house. I could hear it.

A movement in the corner of an upstairs window caught my eye. The curtain in the window moved, and there they were. _Those eyes. Staring at me. Watching. Waiting. _

Her heartbeat faltered a bit before it took off. Like a helicopter or something. It soared as she looked at me, visibly wondering. _What did she want? Why did she look at me that way? _

I stood and began to pace behind the thin row of small fir trees that lined the back yard. I knew she could see me….and I could see her. I didn't want to be close to her, but I didn't want to be far away either. I was content to sit here and sulk on my own.

She finally left several minutes later, leaving me alone again. Even though she had been across the huge snowy yard and tucked up in a bedroom, I felt close to her. As close as I would allow myself to get.

My stomach snarled at me, reminding me that I hadn't been treating it fairly these last few days. I had eaten raw once three days ago, and it hadn't been a treat. I wasn't as good at 'getting over it' as some of the guys were. They could turn themselves over to the wolf quite easily and forget the human side of them as they ate. I had never really gotten used to it.

_Just go inside and eat, pansy, _my inner voice said. _You can't hide in the woods forever. _

My growling stomach echoed my brain's thought. With my ears flat and my teeth bared, I made my way towards the house. The snow crunched beneath my feet as I got closer and closer to the crypt where they all dwelled. I didn't like being in that house one bit; the fact the _she_ was there didn't help things. However, it was hard to ignore the way my heart got lighter and lighter the closer to her that I got.

Relief - finally.

I could hear her heart beating in my ears as I quickly phased back into human form. I stood in the frosty wind, naked as the day I was born.

_Shit, I should have found clothes before I phased, _I thought. Crouching in the snow, I began to dig through the icy drift that had formed on the side of the house. We usually dropped clothes by the door, letting them hide in the snow until we needed them again. When I finally found a pair of shorts, I stood and tried to snap the snow and ice off of them before putting them on.

Suddenly, I froze. My skin began to tingle and crawl and my nostrils flared.

It was her.

Looking up, I saw her standing in the Great Room of the house, staring out the window at me. Her eyes raked down my body until she saw my complete naked form. Her eyes went a little wide, and she quickly turned on her heel and fled faster than a bullet.

_Great_, I thought. I felt my cheeks grow hot as I made my way inside. The shorts were still cold, but felt about right as soon as the warm air of the house hit me. With relief, I realized that I could hear Seth in the kitchen, babbling to someone as he ate. I followed the sound of his voice to the large room that smelled of some sort of tomato sauce and garlic. My stomach urged me forward.

"It's pasta, see? You eat it."

I frowned as I walked into the kitchen, half blinded by my hunger. Seth was standing at the counter over a large plate of spaghetti, holding up a piece. Beside him, Carmen laughed. Then came another sound.

The tinkling sound of her giggle echoed in my ears like bells. It sounded so happy and complete that it made me want to join in and smile. Turning around, there she was again.

I felt myself being sucked into her gaze as she held a plain piece of spaghetti in her long fingers. She rolled the piece of pasta in her fingertips as she stared back at me, still smiling.

_Oh my God she's beautiful_….. My mind thought without my permission.

"Are you gonna eat, or did you just want to stand there and like, stare?" Seth's voice broke me out of my strange trance, making me jump.

I broke my eye contact with her and shuffled warily over to the counter. Plopping down, I looked over at her nervously. I don't know why, but I half expected her to do or say something strange or scary in that moment. The hairs on my arms stood up as I sat there, starting down at the tile countertop in front of me. I watched her out of the corner of my eye like I was nothing more than a wild, feral animal on guard for an attack.

Seth just snorted and rolled his eyes at me before shoving a bowl full of spaghetti at me. The tantalizing aroma of the sauce and garlic drifted into my nostrils, and my stomach growled ferociously. I began to eat, feeling myself relax a little as Seth continued his babbling to Carmen. I watched him as he took her hand and showed her how to split fresh garlic with the side of a knife. He laughed as she hit it too hard and made the herb into a thick pulp. Chuckling, he pat her on the shoulder like it was nothing and pulled out another clove for her to try again.

Seth made it look so easy. I realized I was jealous in a strange sort of way. How could he interact with them like it was nothing? Like they were regular people? I didn't get it.

I let my eyes drift to her as I ate. She stood there against the far counter, leaning into it as she examined the piece of pasta. Someone, I'm assuming Alice, had given her a stylish pair of black stretchy pants to wear, along with an athletic looking blue tank top. She was busy looking at the pasta, so I figured now was a good time to get a good look at her.

The tight, forming fitting clothes only enhanced the long, elegant lines of her arms and legs. Her skin was bronzed a beautiful golden color, like she had just come back from a tropical vacation. She was just…beautiful. There was no way around it. I felt like my instincts and my heart were playing tug of war, and I was the unlucky bastard caught in the middle.

I stood up suddenly, pushing my chair away from me. All three pairs of eyes in the room looked up at me, startled. I had to get out of there, but….I _couldn't. _I felt like I was being suffocated, and the only way I could breath was to run to the other side of the kitchen and take the lanky, bronze skinned angel in my arms and tell her everything was going to be alright. My heart arched in the weirdest way, as it had for almost a week now and I knew why. It was aching for _her_. As much as I hated the idea of her, my heart was not content to be separated from her. There was a dull, slicing pain in my chest that called for her to sooth it.

I stood there, frozen in front of the counter with every eye in the room on me.

"What's wrong?" Seth demanded, frowning at me. He knew, that bastard. He had seen inside my head. He knew what demons I was battling. Glaring at him, I sat back down. I ate slowly, even though my stomach was begging me to eat everything I could see.

Carmen and Seth continued chattering away like old friends, while an uncomfortable silence seemed to loom between me and my imprint. I shook my head as I chewed, trying to rattle the pesky word from my brain. Looking up at her, I saw her staring at me. She looked away for a second, and then her eyes flirtatiously returned to me. I felt my cheeks redden.

Picking up my cup, I took a long drink after I was finished eating. My senses shifted as I drank; even though I wasn't looking at her, I knew she was moving. Looking up, my thoughts were confirmed.

The girl walked over to where I sat at the counter. I stared at her sideways, trying not to glare - but it was difficult. As much as I wanted to be near her, I was still on the defense.

Slowly, she sat down on the stool next to mine. Her movements were slow and deliberate; I could tell she was trying not to scare me with her quick, choppy, vampire speed.

I stared at her, every hair on my body standing up. Her tropical scent swirled in my nose again, clouding my mind. By the time I could blink, I realized that Seth and Carmen had wordlessly left the kitchen.

"Hello," she said softly. Her voice breaking the silence startled me a bit; I wasn't expecting her to actually _speak_ to me.

"Hi," I muttered, looking away. I watched her place her hands on the counter top, achingly close to mine. She blinked, looking back up at me.

"Coll-in?" she questioned, her syllables unsure. I nodded.

Swallowing my nervousness and instincts, I licked my lips. "Yes. I'm Collin."

She nodded, looking down at her hands. I was being a dick, and I knew it.

"What's your name?" I finally asked, mumbling. I had heard it uttered a few times, but I was trying my best to be polite. The sick piece of fate that had made me imprint on her obviously wasn't going to let me rest. With a grimace, I realized that I would never be able to be apart from this girl, _this thing. _I ached being away for a few hours; how would I handle the rest of my life? I knew I'd have to at least get used to her. That had become hauntingly clear the last few days.

"Estrella," she replied. The word rolled off her tongue like silk. I felt my ears twitch as the wonderful sound that her own name made coming from her mouth.

"Estr-ella?" I asked, looking over at her.

She laughed her tinkling laughter again, her tan hand flying up to cover her mouth.

"No no," she said softly through her laughter. She leaned forward, her enchanting sea-green eyes level with mine. "Est-ray-ah," she said slowly, enunciating each syllable so that I could pronounce it as well as she did. As if.

And then, her hand came down softly on my arm as she laughed. A strange, spark-like fire raced across my skin. The warmth from her touch surged up my arm, covering my cold heart. I felt something inside me change. I suddenly felt…warmer. Happier. Like I could smile again, and I could feel okay about being near her. My mind was cloudy with her tropical, coconut lime scent, but I was suddenly okay with it after one touch.

"Wait," I gasped, jumping up. I shrugged off her hand, ignoring the stabs of pain in my chest. I squeezed my eyes shut, my hands going to my head. "Just…._stop," _I snapped. I opened my eyes to see her hurt gaze looking back at me.

"Collin?" she asked in her broken, foreign accent. Her big eyes stared at me again, but this time I could see them as they filled with tears…and disappointment.

"I have to go," I stammered. And I did the only thing I was good at so far - I left.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Later that night, I still felt like shit after yelling at my imprint. I couldn't help it though - actually feeling her touch had sent me reeling, and I was still trying to wrap my mind around everything that had happened.

I tossed and turned on the couch in the Great Room for a few hours before having the same, awful dream I had had for years. My mind continued to assault me with memories from the night I had almost been attacked…

_The soft mud of the forest floor rose up between my paws as I ran. Green ferns brushed my fur as I sped past, tearing through the woods. I was on patrol for the night, and in a pretty good mood. Brady's voice floated into my mind as I ran my route, nose to the ground._

'_Hey, wanna get some breakfast when we're done?'_

_I laughed as Brady began to picture stacks of steaming pancakes waiting for us on a table of a diner somewhere. Sometimes having a mind link was nice._

'_Sure.'_

'_How about that pancake place by the interstate?'_

'_Works for me.'_

_I had been busy thinking about what I wanted for a pancake topping when all the sudden, the familiar scent of vampire caught my nose. _

_By the time I realized what I was smelling, it was too late. Like a bullet he hit me, careening into my side. I remember crying out in pain as my ribs were shattered from the blunt force of being t-boned by a vampire going full speed. _

_We rolled several times together, finally sliding to a stop in the ferns. I growled, trying to stand, but my body was screaming in pain. I looked up in time to see the vampire with the glowing red eyes as it stared down at me menacingly._

"_I will end you, mutt," he growled, his teeth catching the light. I heard myself whine, and then there was a blow to the lower half of my body. My leg cracked like a wishbone being split, and then everything went black. The last thing I saw was his glowing red eyes and razor sharp teeth as he laughed at my pain._

And then, a different dream started. I dreamt I was still knocked out from the pain, swimming in a sea of blackened agony….drowning. Suddenly, I was aware of all the pain melting away. I felt a warm heat in my body as the fear and hurt slowly dissipated. Instead of drowning….I felt like I was swimming.

I felt my body relax in my sleep, and I knew I was dreaming; however, I didn't want to wake up. I wanted to stay with the warm, calm feeling that had settled over my body.

_From behind my eyelids I could sense a bright light in front of me. Opening my eyes, I realized I was on a beach. A white, sandy beach. Pulling myself from the warm saltwater, I blinked. I was on a deserted beach somewhere and all the pain was gone. The sun was setting, casting a beautiful glow over the water. Squinting, I looked at the sun as it set over the horizon. My eyes caught some movement up the beach, and I struggled to see what it was. My body was on full alert, and I was ready. _

_However, the closer the object got, the calmer I felt. My heart beat got slower and slower until it set a soothing pattern in my chest. The warm glow of the sun began to sink into my skin, calming me ever further. _

_Walking towards me was a person. No just any person…a woman. Estrella._

_I stood on the warm sand, completely unaware of anything else around me as she approached. She looked so beautiful it hurt. Her brown, sun kissed hair was down around her shoulders, blowing in the tropical breeze. She was wearing a simple, sleeveless cotton dress and bare feet as she walked up to me, her green eyes sparkling. An excited, knowing smile graced her elegant yet exotic features, and I felt myself drawn to her. _

_She stopped in front of me, taking my hands in her. I sucked in a breath, letting her now-familiar scent calm me. _

"_Where am I?" _

_She smiled warmly, her jewel-like eyes glowing in the setting sun. "On the beach, of course."_

_I looked around, still completely wonderstruck. I frowned when I realized she didn't have the same broken accent that she had earlier in the kitchen. It was like….she had been speaking English for years. _

"_How did I get here?"_

_Estrella smiled, looking out at the ocean. She ran a hand through her sandy hair, brushing it out of her eyes. _

"_I brought you here. You needed to get away."_

_I frowned at her, suddenly remembering my dream about my vampire attack. "How are you speaking to me?"_

_She just smiled. "Collin, just let me in. Everything will alright if you just let me in," she said softly, reaching out. Her fingers touched my cheek, making me shiver with delight. I closed my eyes slowly, marveling at what her touch did to me. It was so warm and delightful…._

My eyes opened. I blinked a few times, focusing on the wooden ceiling of the Denali's log cabin. Looking around, I saw that I was sprawled across the couch in the Great Room, and not on the beach like I wanted to be. Suddenly, disappointment surged through me. What had all of that been about?

Squinting, I realized the morning sunlight was pouring over the mountains in the distance. I knew it had been a dream, but it felt so real. Looking down at my hand, I could almost feel sand in it. With a disgruntled sigh, I let my head fall back onto the couch. So much for that.

I sat up, stretching. What was all of that about? After pondering my strange dream sequence for several more moments, I made my way into the kitchen. Seth and Jacob were there, drinking coffee and talking to Edward and Bella.

"We're going to do patrols today. We're taking shifts to hunt for Damon," Jacob informed me as I poured myself some coffee.

Ah, Damon….the creepy vamp that was after Renesmee. He had something against her, and we weren't sure what it was yet. He was some kind of shield like Bella was, and he was therefore immune to Edward. We were basically hunting him blind.

"We'll get him, Collin," Edward replied in his smooth voice. I jumped slightly at the sound of my name leaving his mouth, but I still managed to give him a smile and nod. The mind-reading vampire knew I was uncomfortable around them, and he was actually quite nice about it honestly. After rummaging through the cabinets for awhile, I sat down and began to eat some cereal.

"We're splitting up into small groups to search for him today. I think that will be the best approach," Jacob replied confidently. I nodded as I ate, listening to his plans.

"At least one wolf should go with a vamp….that way we can use the mind link and communicate," Seth offered in a voice much too chipper for morning.

"Good thinking, Seth," Edward replied with a nod. Seth grinned in his trademark way, making me and Jacob roll our eyes.

As Jacob and Edward split the house and our pack into teams, I shifted uncomfortably as my mind wandered to Estrella.

"What are the hybrids going to do?" I questioned, looking up at Jacob. He frowned, shaking his head.

"Nothing. They're staying here. I'm not taking any risks with them."

I swallowed nervously as the thought of leaving Estrella behind entered my mind.

"Who is going to stay behind and guard them?" I asked.

Jacob crossed his arms, leaning back against the cabinets. "Do you want to volunteer?"

I shifted nervously again. I felt like I was sacrificing my pride by asking to stay behind and guard the hybrids. "Maybe."

"Seriously?" He questioned.

The room was silent as everyone stared at me. "Yeah…yeah I do. I'll stay home and guard them," I heard myself say. Jacob nodded, uncrossing his arms.

"All right. It's settled then. We'll break of into groups starting in the late afternoon, and we'll search all night."

After breakfast, I went outside and phased. I stayed in the bushes, only exiting for a few seconds to speak with Jake in wolf form.

_Stay behind and guard things. If there's any sign of trouble, you'll know. Stay phased so that you can communicate with us, _Jacob ordered firmly. He took off, the vampires and the rest of my pack wordlessly splitting up into their search parties. The goal of today was to find Damon and take care of him before he did the same to one of us. He couldn't be trusted - his brother, Stefan, told us that Damon was wild and unpredictable. _Great, _I thought. _Just what we needed. Another wild, uncontrollable blood sucking leech running around. Swell. _

I swished my tail again, my paws crunching against the snowy ground of the Denali backyard. I felt something shift inside of me; like the base of my spine was being pulled. I whined, already feeling anxious. I turned around in the yard with my teeth bared when I heard a movement behind me.

There, in the house stood Estrella with her palm against the glass. She stood on the second story, watching me from the tall windows with a strange look on her face. She looked almost…hurt.

When our eyes met, she turned and abruptly walked away. The tug inside my chest turned to a dull ache, and I felt so uncontrollably drawn to her. It was more than before. The definitive need to go to her was yanking me towards the house without my consent or control. Suddenly, I realized why I felt the need to go to her.

I had hurt her.

**x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x**

**I hope you are all enjoying Collin and Estrella's story! Remember, if you haven't read 'Untouchable', this fic won't make much sense. I'd love to hear your thoughts about the imprint as Collin comes around to Estrella. She's still learning English at this point, so her communication skills with Collin are still limited at this point.**

**On another note, would you all like me to stick with Collin's POV, or would you like one in Estrella's POV eventually? Review and let me know!**


	6. Chapter 5:Giving in

**Chapter 5: Giving in**

Realizing I had hurt my Estrella…_my imprint_….hit me like the slap in the face I knew I deserved. As the rest of my pack disappeared and struggled to give me some mental head-space, I could hear their concern for me as they patrolled for Damon.

Pushing them out, I paced around the house in mourning. I could hear her heartbeat inside. She had gone upstairs from what I could tell. I walked around the house in the snow, yearning to be inside…_with her_. So what if she scared me? My resolve to hate the girl was wavering. I could feel it in my bones.

I sat outside in the blustery weather, trying to concentrate on the search. I scanned the minds of my pack brothers, trying to pick up any clues they had missed on their hunt for the nasty vampire. I could hear them growing more and more frustrated as their efforts proved fruitless.

When the back door opened, I jumped to my feet in hopes that it was her. My nose told me before the figure came around the corner that it wasn't who I hoped it would be. Nahuel had a similar smell as they rest of the hybrids; I suppose it was something to do with being half vampire and half human. He didn't smell as bad, but he still had a wild, unpredictability to his scent that I wasn't sure I liked.

I made a chuffing noise in my snout to show him I was aware he was outside, but he said nothing. He walked up to me like he didn't have a fear in the world, looking around the empty yard.

"Any sign of him?"

I shook my large head, already annoyed. _What did this jungle freak want?_

He was silent a moment, his dark brown hair falling in his eyes as he surveyed the back lawn. His eyes turned to me and I was glad I was in wolf form; his gaze was unsettling.

"She pines for you," he stated simply, holding my stare. I looked at him, slightly dumbfounded. I knew he was talking about Estrella, but I didn't expect him to be so blunt about it.

"She would do anything for you to talk to her. This imprint…this _bond_, that you share with her. She feels it too. She doesn't understand it any better than you do, dog. But you have your pack to help you…and yet you leave her to figure this out on her own."

A deep growl rumbled in my chest. _How dare he think he knew what I was going through! _I was instantly angry.

"Don't growl at me. You hurt her, and you only have yourself to blame. Suit yourself," he said in his foreign sounding accent. Turning, he vanished into the house and left me alone.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

For the next several days, I was too busy to think much. For once, I was grateful that Jacob was a slave driver when it came to hunting down Damon. Every time Estrella saw me on my breaks, she avoided my gaze and silently left the room.

I felt like an ass, and I knew I deserved it.

On the third day since the incident in the kitchen, I walked into the Denali house to find Renesmee and Stefan bent over books at the dining room table. They were sitting with Estrella and her sister, Isadora, and they were attempting to teach them English.

I stood in the doorway and watched as Estrella clumsily tried to conjugate some verbs.

It was almost comical to listen to her stumble over the text, her bright, melodic voice stuttering to make the words sound right. Several times her eyes flashed up to mine, but they would go right back to the book in front of her like she hadn't seen me. She had an air of determination about her that was remarkable, and it was obvious to me that she was actually pretty smart. Renesmee would say something in English, and Estrella would carefully repeat it back, pushing her eyebrows together as she struggled through it. Then I would watch her repeat it to herself under her breath, I'm sure cataloging it into her sharp, vampire mind.

"Almost done," Renesmee said carefully to Jacob.

"Sure, sure," he sighed, jamming his hands in his pockets.

"You're doing so well," Renesmee coached her, nodding with a smile. Estrella beamed, her eyes flashing up to meet mine. I realized I was staring, and I practically jumped. Turning around, I shuffled out of the dining room and away from the English lesson.

_Smooth, idiot, _I thought to myself. I walked into the kitchen and rifled through the refrigerator, all the while listening to my imprint stumble through her lesson.

"I can has…the book?"

I heard Renesmee giggle. "No no….'have'…you mean. You can 'have' the book," she explained.

"Can I have the book?" Estrella asked hopefully. I could hear Renesmee laugh softly in response.

"Yes! See? You're getting it. You're very smart, Estrella," she coached her friend. I listened as Renesmee kindly instructed Estrella, giving her gentle instruction and enthusiasm when she got her words right. I knew deep down that I owed Renesmee for helping my imprint learn English - I knew I would need to talk to her someday, and that fact would be difficult if we couldn't speak the same language. Taking advantage of my time inside, I escaped upstairs to take a quick shower and make myself a bit more presentable. Spending days at a time romping around the Alaskan backwoods had made me look slightly unkempt, so I jumped at the chance for a hot shower.

I walked into the kitchen an hour later to find Renesmee sitting at the counter with Estrella and Alice, who were still coaching her on some English phrases. I was such a stupid piece of shit that I pretended to walk in on them, acting surprised when they were in there. _As if I didn't know where they were - hell, I always knew where Estrella was. _It was her thrumming heart that I could pick over a marching band, or even the way her island-like scent hung in the air anywhere she went. Either way - I knew where that girl was, always.

Her piercing ocean-blue eyes flashed up to mine, her gaze holding me like a vice grip. My own eyes took in the soft blues and greens of her irises, marveling at the way they looked like water.

"I go," she said softly to Renesmee, who nodded once in acknowledgement. Estrella stood, pushing the stool back from the counter as she lithely left the kitchen.

"What did I do?" I asked Renesmee, who was giving me an unamused stare. She shrugged, piling up the English books on the countertop in front of her.

"She knows you hate her," she said simply.

"Hate? I don't hate her," I argued back, running my hand through my hair. Renesmee looked away, her gaze uncomfortable.

"Why does she think I hate her?"

"Why wouldn't she?" she snapped back. I nodded, a little surprised at Renesmee's snappish tone.

"I deserved that."

"I know," she quipped, picking a the grout in-between the tiles. I felt shame burn through my veins.

"You won't even give her a chance?"

"I never said that. I'm just…getting used to the idea is all. It's nothing personal against her, don't you see that?"

"But you're hurting her all the same, Collin. You're a good person - don't be like this."

I slammed my fist down to the countertop in frustration, glaring at her. "You say it like I have a choice! I'm fighting everything in me to stay away from her-"

"Then give in," she said simply, shrugging. I stopped mid-sentence to glare at her. My shoulders slumped, and I hung my head.

"What is she like?" I asked her. Renesmee's soft brown eyes flicked up to meet mine.

"You really want to know?"

I nodded, bracing myself as Renesmee stared at me. Her expression softened and her shoulders dropped. She gave me a gentle smile, and I felt myself relax.

"She's….really sweet, actually."

I felt like I had been kicked in the gut. Half of me had hoped she was a complete monster so that my ass-like behavior would be justified. But Renesmee stuck it to me again.

"She's very inquisitive and curious…she wonders about things. She's very smart, and she's picking up on things quickly. She wants to learn so much, Collin."

"She does?"

Renesmee nodded. I ran my hand through my damp hair, feeling like even more of an ass than I already did. Of course she was sweet and pleasant - that just made so much sense since I had already been such a jerk to the poor girl.

"What does she like?"

She smiled a knowing little grin, and I felt my stomach churn. "Anything and everything. She's very gentle and kind…agreeable. She loves human food almost as much as….well…blood," Renesmee admitted. "She's like me; she loves candy and anything sweet."

I caught myself smiling. "So she's….pretty cool then?"

"I guess if I had to use one word….I'd use kind," she admitted softly. "Just talk to her, Collin. Please. It's killing her to be ignored."

I nodded, gritting my teeth together as Renesmee got up and silently left.

I knew I needed to talk to her, but I just didn't know how. I had to end this; I knew I needed her, and as scared as I was….I would just have to get over it.

Tomorrow, I decided. Tomorrow, things would be different.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

I think the fur on my hackles had been standing up for days. I cursed to myself silently as I swished my tail, debating whether or not to go inside the house. Imprinting was the strangest thing…I didn't know for a fact that she was in the house. However…I could _feel_ that she was. Fighting the pull to Estrella was like being torn in half. One side ached for her. The other feared and despised her.

_Was there no middle ground? _I didn't want there to be. My bones ached like I had aged ten years, even in wolf form. I felt literally exhausted and my chest felt like it was about to cave in. My heart felt like it had been ripped in two and tossed carelessly in a blender. I was in sheer misery.

_Either go inside the house or sit down. You're giving me a headache, _Brady said from across the lawn. He was curled up under a pine tree, his ears flattened to the sides of his skull. I snarled quietly in his direction.

I knew I needed to talk to her. I had made a pact with myself earlier in the night that I was going to…_but how? How do you just start up a conversation with the person you've berated for days?_

_Just go…_Brady muttered.

_Can it. I don't have the energy…_

_Exactly. So go in there and find her. God, all you imprinters are such whiny little-_

_Have you imprinted?_

_No._

_Then shut the hell up. _

Brady began muttering a slew of random violent thoughts and curse words as I continued to pace in the dark backyard, my hackles raised and my teeth exposed. I was one unhappy wolf.

I knew she was inside, and all I was doing was denying myself access to her. She was like a drug to me, and I think that was the scariest part. I had seen so little of her – I barely knew her. And yet…I think I would have done anything for her. I wanted to see her smile, even if it did make the lights glint off of her razor sharp leech teeth. They _were_ leech teeth, but they were _her_ leech teeth, so…as much as I tried to fight it, that really did make them beautiful, at least to me.

_Fuck it, _I thought with a growl.

'_Tomorrow' _had come and gone. So had another day. I knew I had made a pact with myself to talk to her, but….every time I thought about walking up to her and starting a conversation….all logical thought escaped me. It was now the middle of the night, and I was done with my patrol shift. My stomach was gurgling with hunger, and I knew I would have to go inside to eat sooner or later. The pull to phase back into human form and walk inside the house was getting harder to ignore. Finally, I gave up fighting.

For as agitated as I had been the past few days and as hard as it was for me to phase back, it was surprisingly easy to let the heat be sucked out of my spine and stand up on two feet. _There. I was me again. I was Collin_. I dug in the snow next to the patio, quickly finding the pack's stash of sweat pants and track pants that the Cullens had given us. Leaving them outside helped them get rid of their…aroma. I knew they were trying to be nice by feeding and clothing us, but…well frankly, they reeked.

I stood up and pulled the navy sweat pants on, not even slightly bothered by the fact that they were nearly frozen solid. My body heat warmed them, and within a minute it felt like I had been wearing them all day.

_God bless the body heat…_

I trudged up the back patio, sliding the doors open. The large room that took up almost the entire back of the house glowed dimly; it was still the middle of the night, and I had forgotten that at least the hybrids would be sleeping. Hanging around vampires for long periods of time made you forget things.

I walked inside the huge room from the back patio, wiping my feet on the rug by the door. The warmth of the room hit me first, and then I smelled it; the one thing that could make me calm down. The soothing tones of coconut and citrus fruit wafted towards me, settling over my body like a warm breeze. My human ears strained for a second, and then I actually jumped a little as I realized that I could hear four different thrumming heartbeats from different places throughout the house. Then, like a smack in the face, I realized that the one I cared about the most was right in front of me.

_Estrella._

She was in the Great Room, curled up in an armchair, with a copy of an English dictionary grasped in her long fingers. _Had she been reading it? _I knew Renesmee had the memory of a steel trap, but I wasn't' sure if that was simply because she was Edward's daughter or if that was the vampire thing. Either way, I had to admire Estrella's effort – she had made it to 'F' before apparently passing out from pure exhaustion.

Suddenly, I realized something; _she sleeps_.

I knew Renesmee slept, but I knew that all hybrids were different. But Estrella…Estrella was _sleeping_. Somehow, that made her more human to me than anything else. Her thrumming heart had slowed slightly, and her breaths were low and even. Her hair hung down partly in her face, covering her pink cheeks slightly. She was sleeping. Relief washed over me quickly, making my own heartbeat slow. I felt myself start to relax as I stood in front of her, watching her in her peaceful slumber.

I jumped when I heard a noise in the doorway of the Great Room. _I was anything but calm these days…_

"Collin," Renesmee whispered in surprise. I motioned for her to be quiet, and her brown eyes grew even bigger. I stood up silently, thankful that I could move practically without a sound and ushered her out of the room. When we were in the kitchen, she gave me a knowing look.

"Find something interesting in there?" she asked. I shrugged, opening up the pantry. I pretended to look for something to avoid her questioning gaze. It was rather easy to get sucked into Renesmee's big brown eyes and give her whatever she wanted sometimes.

"Just…can't sleep," I muttered, pulling out a box of fruit snacks. She watched as I ripped them open mercilessly, eating half the pouch in one bite. She frowned, but kept silent. I guess I got to be the only one who talked.

"Why are you up? It's almost three," I noted, motioning to the glowing numbers on the oven.

The kitchen was dim; only the light above the sink was on. I wondered where everyone else was, but I didn't really want to know. It was best that they kept their distance anyway.

"Jake is patrolling with Seth and Quil. I'm just nervous for him is all," she admitted. "I hate when he patrols."

"Better get used to it. He's uh…got a few more years of patrolling ahead of him. He's probably going to be Alpha for…oh, the rest of eternity?"

"Yeah…you'd better get used to it too."

Her words were simple, but the meaning behind them rang in my head. She meant that I was going to be living forever, or at least that's what she expected of me. My imprint; or the person that technically should be my mate was immortal, and she was hoping I would be too. By admitting that I was going to be immortal, I was owning up to the idea that Estrella was meant for me. However…I wasn't ready to do that just yet. I wasn't ready to admit it out loud.

I sighed, eating the rest of the pouch. "I'm not going to live forever, Nessie."

She watched me, her big, intrusive brown eyes feeling like they were peeking into my soul. She didn't say anything.

"I'm _just not_, and…that's all. That's all there is to it."

She glanced in the direction of the room where Estrella slept, and then back at me. "So are you going to be the one to tell her that?"

I shrugged again, ripping open a new box. "I can't tell. There's…she'll figure it out. Once this is all over, she'll go back to the jungles, and I'll go back to Forks."

"But what will you go back to?"

I gaped at her. No one besides Jake had ever had the nerve to call me out like this before, and I was instantly irritated.

"To Forks! My home, my house, my job at the garage, my life…"

"What life?"

Her words were short and simple, yet they cut me to the core. I think they made me so angry because I knew she was right - I had no life.

"The life I had before all of this."

"It wasn't much of a life."

She knew how to dig the knife in and twist, apparently. I knew she was right, and I knew that that's why I was getting so irritated. Of course she knew me. She had known me her whole life, and her best friend was one of my best friends.

"I'm happy."

"You could be happier."

I looked at her in shock.

"Why are you not scared of me? You're terrified of her, but I've obviously never bothered you."

I grunted in response, walking lightly from the kitchen back to the Great Room where Estrella slept.

Renesmee was right. I had never been afraid of her, and she could probably mess me up all kinds of ways if she really wanted to. She would have to catch a wolf by complete surprise in order to really do any sort of damage to it, but still…she _could_. She had vampire teeth. She had hard skin. She had the instincts of a killer. And yet…she didn't seem like it. Renesmee was good and sweet, and I trusted her. Hell, I had watched her grow up. Even as a baby, she had complete self control and wisdom far beyond her years. I had never been afraid of Renesmee, _so why should I be afraid of Estrella? _

As I watched her sleep in the chair, I felt myself slowly falling under her spell. Her sweet, island smelling, bronze legged, blood-drinking spell. I inhaled slowly, smelling her soothing scent again. I didn't even realize I was being pulled towards her like a magnet.

Careful not to wake her, I let myself stoop down next to her and put my arms under her knees and behind her neck to pick her up. She came fairly easily; Estrella was no small girl, but she was still light enough for me to pick up with ease. Her long legs drooped down against my arms, and her bare skin connected with mine as I stood up straight.

I held back a hiss as her skin met mine in what felt like a million different places as I held her in my arms. Holding her felt natural and right. Her skin was smooth to my touch, but hard at the same time. It shone a deep bronzed color, and my eyes could see all the tiny facets that lined the surface. Her long eyelashes rested against her pink cheeks, and I caught myself longing to see their ocean blue color beneath her lids. I never wanted to put her down, but I knew I would have to. I had never touched her this much, and it felt so right that it made my heart hurt a little.

I was a fool.

With a soft sigh, I walked over to the long couch by the fireplace that burned merrily, despite the fact that no one really got cold here. I laid her long body out on the leather couch, careful not to wake her. She looked tired, even in her sleep. Guilt overcame me as I realized that I knew _why_ she looked so tired; I had been nothing but cruel and condescending to this girl, despite what she needed from me. Despite what I needed from _her_, actually. She had tried to win me over from the start when I should have been trying to win her over and make her life heaven on earth.

Instead, I had berated her.

And for what? As I stared down at her peacefully sleeping form, I forgot all reasons I had to hate any part of this girl. I grabbed a throw blanket off the back of the couch and covered her with it, just in case she happened to get cold. I knew she wouldn't but…my protective side was starting to come forward and I actually liked it. I wanted to protect her and guard her, and make sure nothing hurt her ever again.

Settling down, I kneeled beside the couch and tried to get somewhat comfortable. I wasn't ready to leave her sleeping form alone in the large room, and besides…watching my imprint sleep was the most comforting thing I could remember seeing in my entire life.

She sighed in her sleep, inhaling deeply. A tiny smile danced on her pouty lips, and I felt my heart rate speed up at the idea of her being happy. I sat on the floor next to the couch, letting my head rest on the edge of the couch next to hers. Her sweet breath blew across the worn leather cushion and into my face and I let it calm me. How could I have actually been scared of her? She was an angel. Watching her sleeping form only confirmed this to me.

Jacob came down the stairs from Renesmee's room just as I was standing and tucking the blanket around her feet. He had returned an hour earlier; I had heard him scale the side of the house where Renesmee's bedroom was. I had been smiling down at her cherry red toenails that had been courtesy of Alice just as he caught my gaze. To his credit, he didn't say anything as I silently scrambled away from Estrella, slightly chagrined to have been caught fawning over her when I had thrown such a fit about avoiding her. He frowned at me on his way to the kitchen, and I tried to avoid his eyes. I gave my imprint one last look before dashing outside into the cold. I barely kicked off my sweats onto the waiting chair on the patio before bursting out of my skin and landing on four feet.

I knew things would be different from now on. I was done avoiding her, and so was my heavy heart.

I had given in.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

This was officially the last chapter of Collin being a…fill in the blank. He has given into the imprint, and now his main focus will be winning Estrella over. That said - The next chapter will be in Collin's POV still, but I think the chapter after that will feature Estrella's POV.

Thoughts?


	7. Chapter 6: Love Knows no Bounds

_**Chapter 6: Love Knows no Bounds**_

I felt my lip curl over my teeth in agitation. My paws crunched in the snow as I paced behind the border of small pines that framed the Denali backyard. It was still early; the sun had yet to rise up over the mountains.

My ears pricked as I listened to the activity inside the house. All of the vamps were out hunting for Damon. Jacob and Renesmee were both sleeping. Meanwhile, the one leftover vampire, Stefan, was planning a hunting trip with Isadora and Estrella.

My imprint.

The words kinda rang funny in my head. I said it like I was used to it, but the word still surprised me when it showed up in my brain. But, I had made up my mind. Terrifying or not, there_ had_ to be a something to this imprinting thing. I was tired of being alone. I was tired of wondering what she was like. I wanted to get to know her for my very own and not have to spend all my extra time making up mundane little details about her. I didn't want to speculate; I wanted to _know_.

Call me crazy, but I was ready to give fate a chance.

Watching Estrella sleep had somehow done something to me. I hadn't been the same since that night nearly a week ago when I had held her sleeping form in my arms and watched her dream. Something had changed inside of me, and I knew that I would never be the same.

I had given in.

I didn't want to be alone anymore. Estella….somehow gave me hope and terrified me all at the same time. Either way I felt alive when my soul had been dormant for a hundred years. I was tired of having nothing to live - _really_ live- for. I wanted someone to come home to, someone to talk to, someone who understood me.

I was ready to fit with someone.

And, as terrifying as the idea was, obviously fate had a fucked up way of showing me that she was the one that I was supposed to belong to. She was supposed to fit with me.

As I paced, I thought of all the guys in the pack who had imprinted. Sure, some of them had their ups and downs and things to overcome, but…they were happy. They could usually think of nothing else besides their imprints because they made them so gooey with bliss it was utterly sickening.

Suddenly, I realized something else.

I was ready for sickening.

All my imprinted brothers could think about was their imprint - their hair, their eyes, their scent, the way they felt when their skin brushed against hers, the sex….

The sex.

Oh fuck.

My mind wandered to the far corners of the pack mind where I had heard every scandalous detail about everyone's sex lives. As much as you tried to hide it, it was impossible at one point or another. No matter how controlled you were, there was always going to be that one time when your thoughts slip and your mind wanders.

I pictured Estrella, and what she would look like with those long, tan legs wrapped around my waist….

_Oh. _

Yes. I was ready to accept her.

_Where are they? _I whined to myself. I knew they were getting ready to leave, but…when? Right around the time I was ready to explode, the back door of the Denali mansion opened and Stefan stepped out, followed by Isadora. I watched as the half-vampire woman gave him a flirtatious smile. She was flaunting herself. Good. Maybe the vamp would go for it. Nessie needed to be freed up to be with Jake, and I didn't need any suave, perfect guy hitting on my imprint.

Suddenly, a soft, thrumming heartbeat that my ears were drawn to like a magnet exited the house. My nose was the next to catch it; that faint, tropical coconut lime smell that came with her. Her ocean colored eyes scanned the dark lawn, and our eyes met. And then, my heart felt lighter.

There she was. All at once, my tail fell and my teeth were once again covered. My hackles settled down, and my eyes grew larger, trying to take in all of her beauty in the soft moonlight.

Stefan and Isadora took off at a run, laughing at something silly that I wasn't paying any attention to. Estrella watched them leave with a sparkle in her blue-green eyes. It was like she knew what was going on between them. Looking over her shoulder, her eyes met mine again. A small, secretive smile crossed her features as she tossed her long, sandy blonde hair and jumped into a jog. Her long legs propelled her across the snowy lawn so easily that she reminded me of some sort of long-legged deer or gazelle. Her pace was slow and relaxed and so….I followed her.

I ran behind her in the forest, just far enough away that she wouldn't be able to see me. But…I kind of wanted her to see me.

My obsessive, imprinted side reared it's ugly head. What if there was danger in the woods? What if there was something wrong and she couldn't get help? I instantly picked up the pace.

When I got close enough to her I saw her turn and glance at me over her shoulder. A small, infectious laugh slipped from her lips. Oh her laugh! It sounded like Christmas bells. It sounded happy and full of joy; neither of which I had in my life lately.

Stefan and Isadora led the way, streaking through the forest wildly together. Isadora was _fast_. Estrella didn't appear to be nearly as speedy, which worried me. Would she be able to avert danger as quickly as her half-sister?

_Calm down, weirdo, _I coached myself. They all paused at the tree line before a wide open tundra. The wind whipped across it, sending the chilly air through my coat. They stood at the edge of the forest and froze, standing as still as statues. I paused a few hundred yards back, curious as to what in the hell they were doing. I began to pace, chuffing air through my snout in frustration. _What on earth was going on?_

Then, my question was answered. As the dawn sunlight began to peek over the horizon, a huge heard of elk roamed onto the tundra. The animals were looking for food, as were their hunters. Slowly, like wraiths, Stefan and Isadora lunged out of the woods and began their hunt. I winced as they pounced, easily snapping the necks of three or four elk. They began to drink as the rest of the terrified animals scattered in blind panic. I swallowed, a nervous whine escaping my throat. _At least it's not humans, I reminded myself. _

Estrella watched, sighing heavily. The other two were still draining their kills, but she remained in the trees looking uninterested. Instead, she turned to me. Walking slowly, she moved toward me cautiously. Her bright eyes were questioning; did she think I would hurt her?

A low whine escaped through my muzzle.

"Hunting," she said matter-of-factly, glancing back at her friends. Her voice was high and smooth and almost child-like. It was like music to my ears. I followed her gaze, still sitting a safe ten yards away. She blinked, her little button nose scrunching up.

Wasn't she thirsty? Didn't she need to hunt too? I was confused.

I watched as she smoothed her top, pulling her little zip-up hoodie tighter around her body. _She must not be used to the colder temperatures_, I thought.

She turned on her heel, giving me another over-the-shoulder glance as she walked away. She was beckoning me. I felt my chest tighten and one foot soon went in front of the other. I was following her.

_Oh hell. I'm just gonna go with this, _I thought. I padded after her slowly, watching what she would do. Glancing back, I saw that Stefan and Isadora were still busying themselves with their meal, so at least we would have some privacy. I was legitimately going to try with this whole imprint business whether I liked it or not.

However, as I trailed after her tropical scent I didn't feel my normal onslaught of dread. Normally I would have been freaking out about the idea of following a leech into the woods. Even a half-leech. But…the closer I allowed myself to get to her, the lighter my heart felt. My steps were easier as my vision focused on her and only her.

She walked quickly, weaving through the frozen undergrowth of the Alaskan woods like a garden nymph. Every so often, she would give me another flirty, beckoning gaze as if she was checking to see if I was still following her. My ears stayed forward as I trotted behind her as quietly as I could. I was a little more comfortable, but still slightly on edge from instinct.

We stopped finally when she came to a tiny mountain meadow that was tucked into the woods. It was frozen, but in the early dawning light it looked like a winter wonderland. The tall, wild grasses and flowers that had died in the fall were now covered in the morning frost and beginning to glitter. I looked around curiously, waiting to see what she would do.

Estrella turned around, facing me as came to a stop in the middle of the meadow. We were only about ten feet apart now. I could hear her quiet breaths and thrumming heartbeat in the chilly morning air.

She stared at me, mirroring back the curiosity that I felt. What did she want?

"Collin?" she asked, tilting her head to the side.

_Oh sweet Jesus. She said my name. _Never before had my stupid little name sounded like that. I gulped, lowering my head to observe her. Sticking her hand out, she crept towards me slowly.

_Was she trying to pet me? _I was frozen in place, waiting to see what this girl would do. _Was she nuts? Didn't she know I could kill her with one snap of my razor sharp jaws? Did she not care?_

Obviously she didn't. Slowly, she crept forward with her hand still outstretched. My hair stood on end, but not out of fear - it was anticipation. I swallowed, leaning forward a little to allow her to touch me.

Her hand touched my forehead, gently stroking the fine hairs there. Her touch was soft and feather light. I exhaled slightly, making her jump. Her eyes were wide as she stared at me, her hand hovering over my head. When she figured out I wasn't going to do anything, she smiled softly. She patted me again, this time letting her fingers graze up to the tip of my ear. Resting her hands on her side, she looked at me before carefully speaking.

"Change, Collin," she stated simply. I gaped at her, my wolfy eyes I'm sure the size of saucers. Did she honestly expect me to change back, right here? For one thing, I would be naked. Another thing…I would have to actually _talk _to her. She barely even spoke English!

I watched as she stood back, crossing her arms over her chest expectantly. Her long leg fidgeted as she sat on her hip, watching me with careful eyes.

I let out a defiant yip, dancing away from her slightly. No way was I going to change back right here and now!

"Please?" she asked, turning her head to the side. "I want to talk. Please change, Collin."

_Holy shit…when did this girl learn English? _My mind thought back to the countless English lessons I had seen her taking with Renesmee, but how had she learned how to speak so quickly?

"Please by my friend."

Her high, chime-like voice was pleading now. She still stood before me, her arms around her middle as a pouty expression danced across her features.

_Shit. _

I huffed, pacing in a small circle as I looked at her. She was growing more and more upset by the minute, and I could barely stand it. Suddenly, I felt myself wanting what she wanted. I wanted to please her.

I looked around, desperate. I wanted to phase back, but I also didn't want to be completely naked in front of her.

"Please?"

That one little word was my undoing. Without another thought, I could feel the heat retreating from my spine, pulling the animal out and letting my human form return. I rose up from all fours, straightening out into myself again. She gaped at me in amazement, her bright eyes wild with wonder.

"Collin?"

My name sounded even more beautiful with human ears hearing it. My mouth fell open in awe, completely taken with the beauty before me. Estrella cocked her head to the side, gazing at me strangely. Her eyes dropped down my body, a scarlet blush rising up in her cheeks as she took in my very _naked_ form.

I gasped and covered myself, wincing painfully as she blushed and looked away.

"Um….a little help?"

She looked up, her cheeks flushed pink and lovely before letting a little giggle escape. I cringed. Was she laughing at what she saw? I could only hope not…I mean, I was a wolf and everything on us was rather large, but….had she been with other guys that were better looking? _Look at her, _my mind thought. _Of course she had_. She was completely _gorgeous_.

Another small giggle escaped, and I felt myself start to blush. She covered her mouth with her hand and rolled her eyes, turning in a circle.

"I'll phase back," I warned, trying not to laugh. My chuckle broke through my laugh as I fought to remain composed and angry-looking. I couldn't let my guard down! Damn, why did her laugh have to be so fricking contagious?

I wasn't sure if she understood my threat, but either way she unzipped her cardigan and shed it, tossing the garment to me. I gratefully covered up, holding the thin cotton in front of my naked body.

"Why didn't you hunt?"

She raised one perfect eyebrow at me, frowning slightly. "Hunt?" Shaking her head, she gave me a strange look. "Not thirsty."

I nodded, trying not to stare at her for too long. Her perfect features were so expressive as she watched me.

"Oh," I replied awkwardly. I bit my lip, trying to think of what to say. She stared at me, her gaze unabashed and piercing.

"You….not…like me," she stated sadly, her eyes turning down. I felt my foot ache as I was tempted to kick my own ass for being such a jerk to this poor girl.

"No, no," I heard myself say. "You're…you're….f-fine," I stuttered.

She looked up at me dejectedly, crossing her long arms as if to call my bluff. I held the shirt in front of myself and stepped closer to her.

"Estrella…"

Her eyes darted up to meet mine and a brilliant smile decorated her features as her name rolled off my tongue.

"Yes?"

"I like you," I began. She beamed again, and I watched as a ray of the dawning sunlight hit her sharp, white teeth. They gleamed in the light with a beautiful but menacing glow, as if to warn me. A chill shot down my arm as I fought to not panic. She wasn't going to hurt me, I reminded myself. Stay calm…

I looked at her as she stood in the sunlight, trying to decide what to say.

"You are…afraid?"

I nodded sheepishly in answer to her question. I felt like a pussy admitting that I was afraid of her, but I was. I couldn't possibly lie to her. Besides…listening to her stumble through her words in her broken accent was almost…cute.

I watched her stand there, fidgeting. Well, that was something vampires never did. She picked at her nails, wrung her hands together a few times, and just couldn't stand still. It was surprisingly the most humanlike thing I had seen her do.

As the sun rose over the trees of the meadow, we stood only a few feet apart, silent. My eyes took her in, memorizing every detail. The way her hair was a little lighter on the ends from the sunlight; the way her long legs shifted uncomfortably; the way she twisted her mouth up when she was deep in thought. I watched her skin glitter in the sunlight and realized something; she sparkled more than Renesmee.

Being half vampire, Renesmee had a slight glow to her skin that made her look a little dewy in the sunlight, but most humans wrote it off with their generally poor eyesight. If she was really in a bind, I had heard her explain it as glittery body lotion or some crap like that. However, I noticed that Estrella definitely had a more diamond-like look to her slightly tanned skin. It was enough that she definitely wouldn't be able to be in the sunlight around humans.

_It mostly rains in La Push….the sun rarely comes out. She could live there and be fine most days…._I winced as my mind ran ahead of me, betraying me. Was I going crazy? There was no way she would want to live in La Push with me, was there?

I gulped when I realized that it was either that or I would follow her.

_How had I fallen so hard so fast? _

I looked up at her, realizing that I had definitely imprinted, and as much as I had originally hated the idea….there was no avoiding it now.

She gave me a questioning look. "What?"

I shrugged, motioning to her arm. "You…you sparkle."

She gave me another sad look before nodding. "I sparkle, yes," she replied in her heavily accented English. _Damn, that was adorable. _

"Can you go outside in the sunlight?" I asked, even though I knew the answer.

"I go outside….alone. Not many times. I…not have…friends," she admitted.

"When did you learn to speak English so well?" I mused,

"Renesmee teach me," she quipped, giving me a bashful yet proud little smile.

"You really don't have friends at home?"

She scoffed a little, kicking at the ground. "No. I come here….I live with you, yes?"

I was slapped in the face with reality. I had been a complete jerk to this girl, and all she wanted to do was be with me and show me nothing but utter devotion. Her next words made me want to toss myself off a cliff.

"Please be my friend Collin."

Timidly, she stepped closer to me with wide eyes. Dipping her head down, she took one of my hands and brought it away from the death grip I had on her shirt. My skin sizzled pleasantly as my skin reacted with hers. A glowing heat slipped through our intertwined fingers. I shuddered.

"I'll be your friend," I offered, my voice cracking slightly. Estella's eyes met mine, and she gave me a knowing smile.

"My wolf, yes?"

I was putty in her bronzed hands.

"Uhhh…sure," I agreed before I could think. _Think? Who thought, anyway? Brains were just things that kept us from doing what our hearts wanted us to, right? _

Estrella nodded to herself with satisfaction, reaching up with her other hand to touch mine again. Another contented smile decorated her features, and once again her teeth caught the sunlight and glinted. I felt my heart race in a split second of fear, but I swallowed it down. She gave me a worried look, her smile fading momentarily.

"Scared?"

Her question was simple, and I could no longer deny her the answer.

"Yes."

A simple answer for a simple question.

She dropped my hand quickly, taking a fidgety step back. Looking up at me through her long lashes, I felt the urge to kick my own ass again as she was instantly hurt with my answer.

"I not hurt you," she almost whined, giving me another strange look. "I….I like."

I chuckled to myself at her broken English and pouting.

"I _like_ you too."

There was that smile again. She beamed once more, satisfied with my answer. I swallowed my fear and pushed any doubt aside as I was sucked into the magic of that girl's smile. The fear wasn't completely gone, let's face it. However, I knew that I was a goner when it came to her and only her. Fate had a fucked up way of showing me that she was the one I needed, but I wasn't about to argue with fate.

I took a step forward, reaching for her hand. "Estella….I like you too."

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

I hope you all enjoyed this! Collin is finally giving in and letting himself be happy with Estrella. Of course, the change will still take a little bit of time, but he's at least open to the idea of imprinting now : )

I hope you all enjoyed the final chapter of Touch Me (the Untouchable Outtakes) and of course, the final chapter of Untouchable! There is of course an Epilogue that I'm still working on for Untouchable, so look forward to that.

Also, I'm not done writing wolf fics, or even Jake/Nessie fics - not by a long shot. In fact, I have two more in the works at the moment. Be sure to add me to your alerts so that you know when I post something new!

This story is the next story I will be working on finishing. I hope you are all enjoying it - please review!


	8. Chapter 7: Sparks Fly

**Chapter 7: Sparks Fly**

_He liked me._

_He really likes me._

I paused, waiting for him to say more words that I could recognize, but a lot of it was a just a messy blur. A wonderful, messy blur of speech that I could barely comprehend.

But did I care?

No.

Because the man I simply couldn't get enough of had just uttered the four words I had been waiting to hear since I realized he existed.

_I like you too._

I didn't know much English.

I knew enough English to understand that.

For some inexplicable reason, I had wanted him for my own the moment I saw him. Why I had no idea. But the irresistible pull I felt towards the dark haired man-wolf was impossible for me to ignore.

I hadn't fought it for a second.

But….I saw the fear in his eyes when I looked at him. I didn't need to understand English to know that someone of my kind had hurt him horribly.

Fear and uncertainty surrounded his gentle soul. And he was gentle - he tried to pretend he was tough and fearless, but he really wasn't. I could see the kindness in his deep brown eyes.

Collin.

What a man…

I like him too. Well, liked was an understatement. I was obsessed with him.

And how could I not be? Of all the strange yet exciting half man, half wolves running around in this icy land, he was by far the most captivating to me. My gut pulled me to him that first day, and I had been addicted ever since. He brown eyes were wide and scared, just as mine had been at one time. His skin was hot to the touch and brown, just like me. And just like me, he didn't belong anywhere really. Sure, he had his pack of dogs to run with, but I could tell he didn't feel as at home as the rest of them did. There was something isolated about him, and I ached to quench that need for him.

He could have me - all of me. I didn't care what it took to make him happy. I just wanted to take him in my arms and have him do the same to me and we would finally make each other feel okay. We could forget everything around us and just be together and heal each other.

But he was too afraid.

From what I understood, almost all of them had mates. They had someone they belonged to. They had what I longed for.

They all had it, except for him.

Collin.

He stood in front of me now, rambling on and on about something. I was glad he had followed me on the hunt. I wasn't really thirsty; I had calmed myself of my bloodlust enough to focus on what was really important now - him. A strange pull in my gut made me gravitate toward him and it always had. I would willingly follow it.

I knew I scared him.

I was used to scaring people by now.

I pushed thoughts of my isolated childhood and teen years out of my head as I watched his lips form words. All I could think about was those lips. Touching them, feeling them, and…..pressing mine against them.

I had read enough books since my brother found me to know what kissing was. I had seen it on the television screen here in Alaska as well. I knew from the moment I saw this 'kissing' thing that I wanted to try it. Preferably with Collin.

But there was a problem.

He was scared of me.

Not just scared - _terrified. _

I was used to it, but that still stung.

The one person I wanted to pay attention to me wouldn't even look at me for weeks.

I knew I was a monster. I had known that my whole life. But, finding Nahuel and Isadora made what I was more bearable. They didn't treat me as the small-minded Native people back in that place did. I couldn't even think of that as home anymore.

I didn't have a place I could know as home.

Maybe…just maybe….the man whose gaze could captivate me so would let me stay with him.

Just the thought of leaving him made me want to curl up and cry.

I needed him to understand…

"Do you get what I'm saying?"

His voice escalated, signaling a question. I blinked, staring at him in a daze-like trance. His eyes had a way of making my tongue not want to cooperate.

I love it though.

I couldn't think of anything to do except nod. He sighed, the tense muscles of his board chest relaxing slightly. Collin looked at me closely, examining my face with his warm gaze.

I gave him my best smile and said the only word I could think of when it came to Collin.

"Mine."

He sighed dejectedly, obviously upset with my choice of wording.

"Estrella…."

"Collin?" I answered back. I stepped closer, and for once he didn't jump like he wanted to run screaming for the hills. Reaching out, I let my hand touch his arm. I felt my body twitch slightly as his warm skin met mine and sizzled like the sun in midday. It felt wonderful.

I watched him look at my hand on his arm, his jaw tensing. There was something so raw and animalistic about him, yet his eyes made him seem the exact opposite. Warm. Kind. Inviting.

"I like you. But I can't be with you. I'm bad for you."

"Bad?"

I didn't understand. How could he look at me the way he did? I could see longing in his stare, feel the ache in his bones. I felt what he felt. Somehow…I was connected with him.

I could feel his hurt, and I knew he could feel mine as well.

"I will….fix, this?"

He sighed again, still holding my jacket in front of his privates. His free hand jerked through his shaggy, unkempt hair as he sighed.

"No, don't you see? There's nothing to fix!"

"You are…broken," I muttered, dropping my hand.

He looked over at me, his expression growing softer. "My problems shouldn't be yours though. That's the crazy thing….I don't want you to have any problems at all. Especially not mine."

"It is okay, Collin."

"No, it's not okay! I shouldn't be doing this to you…hurting you."

"You don't hurt."

"I do hurt you, Estrella, okay? I'm an idiot. Do you know what an idiot is?"

"Not especially."

He laughed bitterly. "It's a very dumb, dumb person. It's a person who…."

"What?"

"It's a person who doesn't see what's clearly right in in front of him."

I frowned. "But I am right in front of you."

He laughed again, that same bitter laugh. "I know. Ironic, isn't it?"

"What?"

"Exactly. I'm an idiot. A big, fucking idiot."

I sighed, wishing I understood more than just the bits and pieces I was getting. I made a mental note to study the dictionary a bit more when we got home.

Collin sighed again in the hopeless way that he did. Reaching out, he grasped my hand in his for a moment and gave me the most heartbreaking expression I had ever seen.

"I'm not good for you. I'll only hurt you."

"No…" I pleaded, holding his hand tighter.

"I've already hurt you. This is all my fault," he replied, dropping my hand. I hissed in disappointment. My hand burned where it missed the contact with his skin. I silently cursed my silly mouth for not knowing what to say in this moment. How could he think that this was all his fault? The poor boy was a martyr!

"Do you want to go home?"

I could only nod at the question I recognized. He began to walk, and I followed to see what he would do.

"Collin?"

He turned, the sun glinting off his tan body for a moment. I felt tongue tied as I lost my train of thought. He was just so _beautiful._

"What?"

"I like you. Nothing is important…that you talk about. Be h-happy," I urged.

His face softened as he stared at me. "After everything?"

I nodded. He smiled to himself, as if he was realizing something.

"You are…alright, yes?"

He shrugged, still holding my jacket over his groin. "No…but….I have a feeling I will be someday."

* * *

The house felt restless.

I knew what was going on, but I was trying to escape it. I knew my friend Renesmee was being hunted by something, although I didn't quite understand what or why. I think it had to do with her wolf, but I couldn't understand why things were the way that they were. I thought she was crazy for leading him on the way that she did. I saw the way Stefan looked at her, but it was nothing compared to the way her wolf Jacob looked at her. His gazes he would give her were so full of longing…it made my heart ache with envy.

I wanted Collin to look at me the way Jacob looked at Renesmee.

I shifted on the soft couch, holding the thesaurus in my hands. After my confusing conversation with Collin in the woods that morning, I was more determined than ever to learn English. Such a difficult language! I had no problem memorizing all the words, but it was growing more and more complicated to figure out how to use them. I spent most of my English lessons grasping only bits and pieces of the material, even with my strong mind.

Turning the page, I looked up over the top of the book. People were mulling around the house, getting more and more agitated as time went on. It wasn't long before the smallest of them all, Alice, organized some activities. I stood up, brushing my hair out of my eyes and looked around for Collin.

Out of the corner of my eye, I watched him slowly enter the room behind Jacob. It didn't take much to realize that Collin felt very on edge around vampires. He didn't even act like he cared for my brother, Nahuel, who was only half vampire.

Soon, everyone was in the largest room of the house and playing games - none of which I recognized. This was all so new to me sometimes that it was overwhelming. Renesmee pulled me over to sit near the fireplace to play a board came she called 'Trouble'. I didn't have a clue what was going on, but I didn't care once she dragged Collin over with us.

"Come play Trouble with us," she insisted to him. I watched as he shrugged and grudgingly accepted a seat beside me on the carpet. He shifted uneasily, and I heard his Alpha, Jacob, growl deep in his chest. Collin met his eyes, but said nothing.

Renesmee showed me how to play the game, and it was actually fun after I understood how to play. I watched Renesmee and Jacob banter back and forth playfully as time went on; it was obvious how close they were. His body was so attuned to hers that it was mesmerizing to watch him watch her. Not one blink of an eye or flush of her cheeks went unnoticed under his observant gaze.

I glanced to the side, feeling my eyes widen in surprise. Collin was watching me quietly, leaning back on his hands as we waited for Jacob and Renesmee to halt their flirtatious bickering.

They really weren't fooling anyone.

I met his eyes and held them, quickly getting lost in their warm color. His face slackened a bit as I stared at him, and I silently hoped I had the same hold over him that he had over me.

"It's your turn," he said softly, motioning towards the board. I nodded, trying not to blush. I pushed down on the small plastic bubble, moving my game piece accordingly. I grinned to myself as I picked up his green piece and replaced it with my yellow one.

"Trouble," I quipped, handing it back to him. He accepted it, jerking slightly as our hands brushed. I smiled shyly at him, and he gingerly returned the gesture.

We played a few more rounds, enjoying ourselves. It was nice to not feel so much tension in the house, and I would gladly accept any time I got to spend sitting next to Collin.

I was so absorbed in the game and the silly stories Renesmee and Jake were telling me about her childhood that I barely noticed when Collin's hand brushed mine. I don't know if it was my doing or his, but…..for once, he didn't shudder away.

He kept it there.

The spark of longing in my heart became a flame.

I inhaled sharply to myself, praying that no one had noticed. Renesmee and Jake were so lost in their own little world that I took a chance. I looked to the side, noticing that Collin was watching me out of the corner of his eye.

His eyes were smoldering.

Our trance was broken a few second later when I heard a gasp. Alice sat completely rigid in the center of the room, every eye on her. I could hear my heart pounding in my ears as I waited for what she would say.

"They're….coming," she finally whispered.

I didn't understand.

There was a flurry of activity as panic once again settled over the large room. People were shouting at one another and everything became a confusing blur. I didn't understand what was going on.

I turned to Collin with fear. "Collin…what…?"

He paused, his dark eyes flashing to meet mine. I heard myself whimper slightly, but he said nothing. Instead, he turned to listen to the conversation going on around us, none of which I understood.

I heard him growl deep in his chest as he stood up, standing in front of me. I suddenly realized he had placed himself in front of _me_. Like he was protecting me from something.

I was suddenly very afraid.

I listen to everyone stand in the middle of the room, arguing about what to do next. The conversation seemed to go on forever before Isadora rushed to my side.

"It's been decided," she explained in our native language.

"What has?" I asked frantically.

"We're to learn to fight. The vampires…they're coming for us. Bad ones…new ones. They'll be strong, so….we have to learn to fight them."

"Fight?" I asked, completely horrified. She nodded, her eyes worried. Grasping my hands, she took a shaky breath.

"We have to learn, sister! We have to be able to protect ourselves! Do you not want to learn?"

"I'm scared, I-"

"There isn't time for that. They are coming for us at dawn."

"So soon? But we can't fight we-"

"We must."

I gulped, looking at Collin. He was staring straight back at me from across the room where he now stood with the rest of his pack. They all looked slightly frantic, but ready for a fight. My heart lurched at the idea of him fighting a vampire - especially a full vampire, and not just someone with half-strength like me. Could a wolf stand a chance against a vampire?

I had a sickening feeling I was about to find out.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

"Easy now….just…concentrate. Use your senses."

I nodded at Bella, trying to tell her that I understood. She circled me, and I mimicked the strange movement as she trained me to fight.

"Good…now watch closely," she said. She moved her arm one way, quickly faking a strike. I watched her eyes, trying to see which way she was really going to go. However, her vampire speed gave her a definite advantage. By the time she could fake one way, she was already striking the next.

I sighed dejectedly and tried to keep my chin up.

I knew Collin was watching me.

A low growl came from the corner of the yard where the wolves stood in human form, watching. They were studying the way the vampires fought I suppose….taking mental notes on how they moved. Looking up, I caught his eye and gave him a faint smile. He held my gaze for a few seconds before turning away to stomp to the back of the pack.

"You can do this. Again," Bella gently coached me. I nodded, trying to keep calm and focused. After a few tries, I was at least able to successfully doge her otherwise would be iron blows. I knew she was going easy on me, and that made me fear the real thing.

_What would these vampires be like?_

_Would the be quick and stupid?_

_Or stealthy and strong? _

_Could they be coerced to leave peacefully?_

My gut told me that I should expect the worst, for that is what we would get.

"Concentrate…" Bella said.

I nodded, circling her again.

"You're very fast….now channel it. Think clearly about what you want to do."

I understood her slow, gentle speech and tried to take her advice. This time when she moved to attack, I quickly dodged her with less effort than before.

"Good!" she laughed, giving me a soft pat on the shoulder. "You're getting better Estrella."

"Thank you," I replied. I glanced up at the corner of the yard where the wolves were again, eyeing Collin. He was pacing a little, jumping slightly when Garrett touched him on the shoulder reassuringly. I watched as Collin scowled at him and stomped behind the house.

"He'll come around," Jacob assured me, walking up. He took Renesmee's hand, lifting it up to kiss it lightly. She smiled, and I could hear her heart start to flutter.

"Yes. I hope," I agreed.

We headed back toward the cabin. It seemed as though gloom had settled over us all. My sister gave my hand a squeeze as we made out way up the yard toward the house.

I was about to walk in the back door with my brother and sister when a scorching hot hand grabbed my own. It pulled me to the side roughly, but I didn't panic.

I knew the source of that heat anywhere.

Collin pulled me behind the corner of the house out of view from the others. He was glorious, standing there before me in just a pair of shorts. His tan skin glowed with a slight flush that made it clear he was agitated, and his dark eyes were wild.

"Collin?"

"Yes, I'm here…just….Estrella," he said softly, reaching up. His hand cupped my cheek, and I leaned into his touch. My eyes drifted closed for a few seconds, and I gingerly opened them when he spoke again.

"Are you afraid?"

I shook my head yes. He sighed heavily, dropping his hand. I blinked several times at the loss of contact of his fiery skin.

He paced in the snow before me, running a hand through his shaggy hair. "You don't need to be afraid, Estrella."

It was hard to think clearly when he said my name.

"But the vampires-"

"No!" he gasped, stopping his erratic movements. "No vampires. Nothing will hurt you. Do you hear me?" He reached up, cradling my face in his hands. His thumbs brushed over my cheeks, soothing my frazzled nerves. "I would never_….ever_…let anything hurt you."

"You mean this?" I asked, my voice in a shaky whisper. I opened my eyes, staring into his. His expression was clearly wild and frightened, but determined.

"You….are m-mine. Okay? And….and….fuck….I would never let anything touch you. Do you trust me?"

I smiled at his words.

These were words I understood.

"Yes. I trust you."

He smiled, although it looked pained. "Good. Because….no matter how I act….I would do anything to keep you safe. You're safe…with me."

* * *

**I hope you all enjoyed Estrella's POV! I tried to find her 'voice' and use it the best I could. She's very innocent and sweet, and just wants to be loved. As I wrap up this story, is there anything else you would like to see from these two? I'm always open to suggestions! **

**Please review : )**


	9. Chapter 8: Severed Ties

Chapter 8: Severed Ties

* * *

**Collin**

_Tick tock. _

Those were the two words that kept mercilessly repeating in my mind.

We had mere hours before the battle began.

The fortune-telling vampire, Alice, was nearly blind thanks to Damon's gift. He was some sort of shield like Bella, although I wasn't entirely sure how vampire gifts work. I heard Edward explain once that his shield worked like a projector - he could block what he wanted to hide and project onto his shield what he wanted to show. It was confusing. I swore under my breath as I cursed his gift. All of this would be so much easier without Damon. He could block even Alice and Edward from seeing his next move, and as much as I despised vampires….sometimes their gifts came in handy.

I stretched, my paws crunching against the icy snow. I was huddled down with Seth on the side of the house, our body heat carving our a small burrow in the snow drift that ran alongside the cabin.

_Are you nervous? _he asked.

I focused for a moment, catching the sound of Estrella's beating heart inside the house. With the practice I had gained over the past few weeks, I could easily pick her heartbeat out over all the other half-breeds in the house.

She kept me grounded.

She kept me focused.

_So that's a 'no'? _he asked with a wolfy smirk.

I shook my head. _Leave me alone._

_Just asking. There's a lot happening right now and I wasn't sure. You seem so…_

_So what?_

_So back and forth with her. Just accept her into your life and you'll be a lot happier Collin._

_You have an awful lot of advice for me, _I snapped. He shrugged and looked at me blankly with his large eyes.

_Why don't you just give in? If it would make you happier and you want to be with her-_

_Just shut it, Seth._

_I guess I just don't understand where the breakdown is._

_It's not for you to understand._

_Just admit you love her and get it over with Collin. We all know you do. You need to let yourself give into it or it'll wreck you, man. _

_How do you know I already haven't? _I snapped again. He gave me a clear look of surprise, shifting around to look at me better.

_So you've accepted her then? As your imprint?"_

_I guess…._

I thought of her long, sandy blonde hair as it swung in the sunlight. The way her coconut lime scenet wafted after her as she walked. Her bright, sea-green eyes as they stared at me with so much wonder and innocence…..

'_I guess?' It sure doesn't sound that way in your head._

_Then stay out of my head, Clearwater! I have enough to think about._

_Yeah, like how you loooove her._

_Shut up!_

_You love her… _he teased.

_I'm gonna knock you into next week, pup._

_Talk is cheap,_ he laughed.

I stood with a grunt, growling at him.

_I just want to get some sleep before this whole thing starts. Can you can it?_

_Sorry, _he chuckled.

I turned around and face away from him, annoyed but not angry enough to be troubled by it. Normally I would have fought with him, at least for a good, testosterone fueled tumble through the snow.

But now….not so much

_Thanks, _he replied flatly. _Is it because of her?_

I ignored his question and tried to get some sleep. It felt like I had only closed my yes for a few seconds when I felt something in the air shift.

It had begun.

It was strange, really. There were only a few hours between the night and the morning, but already they felt like two entirely different spaces of time. I couldn't believe that we were already getting ready to battle. In an hour's time, I would most likely be tangling with a vampire and risking my life. It didn't feel anywhere close to real.

I wasn't ready to leave her yet.

I felt like the battle was breathing down my neck and I couldn't escape it if I wanted to. Jacob asked us to phase back and come inside, and we obeyed. We needed to get our game plan together, and I didn't like to be unprepared. My nerves were on edge as I phased back and entered the house. Everyone slowly came together in the Great Room of the house, forming a large circle.

Estrella walked down the steps, yawning slightly as she visibly fought to wake up. I watched her as she rubbed her eyes and leaned on her sister, the two of them growing somber together. The tension in the room was palpable. I would do anything for her to not have to face this battle today - I barely knew her, but I did know that she had faced enough pain and suffering in her short life that she shouldn't have to deal with this. I didn't know which part of her life was the worst - not being wanted, or being so isolated you were miserable. Unfortunately, I understood both. Maybe that's why we were meant for each other. Maybe we were the only two people on the planet who would understand how the other had felt.

Maybe we were supposed to heal each other.

Stupidly, I may have missed my chance by letting fear intercede. Or had I? Would this selfless girl give me another chance? She grabbed Isadora's hand and squeezed it, giving her sister a meaningful look. Turning her head, her eyes met mine across the room and I felt myself relax.

Her eyes turned hopeful as she looked at me, and I couldn't help but share her feelings. For the first, time, I felt like I had something worth fighting for. I had a purpose.

I had her.

For once, I had something to return to. I had something worth fighting for. I vowed to return.

Alice's voice cut through my thoughts.

"They're more organized than last time. I keep getting flashes. Damon is already distracted," Alice said. Her small, porcelain looking face already showed anxiousness. I felt my stomach turn. If the pixie was nervous, that wasn't a good sign. I glanced out the back windows at the horizon. Dawn was creeping in, and I knew it would bring a fight along with it.

I watched Jacob and Renesmee exchange their emotional goodbyes; as they should have been. None of us knew if we would return again. We never did. Battling vampires had it's dangers, and I had never even really considered what I did a hindrance until now. My thoughts quickly got he best of me as a pressure began to build in my chest.

I didn't want to leave.

The force got stronger and stronger in my chest until I felt like I would topple over in defeat.

I wanted to stay with Estrella.

This thought alone rocked the core of my being. Instead of feeling a loyalty to my pack, I felt a loyalty to _her. _I was willing to sever my ties with my dignity, my brothers, my family - everything - for her.

I hadn't really given it a second thought.

I would do anything for her. Finally, imprinting made sense to me. Too bad it took a battle for me to figure it all out, I thought glumly.

The fighter, Jasper, was standing in the center of the room explaining the importance of battle tactics. I could barely be bothered to pay attention to him. My mind was anywhere but there, and the last thing I wanted to do was concentrate on a big fight right now. I wanted to stay as close as I could to Estrella and do anything I could to protect her. Standing there, I pictured myself battling a vampire as it tried to attack her. As morbid as the thought was, I knew it could soon be a reality. Would I die for her? Yes.

As I stood there preparing for battle, I felt my chest open up. My heart warmed, my head felt light, and there was a sudden tenderness to my whole mindset.

I had accepted Estrella into my life just as I was about to put my own on the line.

Standing there, I stared at her as the others talked and planned. She looked up, meeting my eyes as we held our gazes together. Did she know I would go to any length to just protect her? The last thing I wanted was for her to feel afraid.

It was decided that the hybrids would stay at the house, guarded by one wolf. Jacob decided that if needed, the wolf could run the short distance to the tundra to help out if the need were to present itself. The other seemed satisfied with this idea, as no one wanted the hybrids anywhere near the danger.

"We'll stay linked with the one left behind," Jacob added. "He'll leave the house only if he needs to.'"

I felt my stomach twist. I instantly knew that I wanted to be the one to stay behind. It made me feel like a coward, but I couldn't help it.

Jacob turned to us once the main brief was over. It was time to discuss pack business now.

"One has to say behind, like I said," he replied, shifting his eyes over the rest of the pack. We stood together in a small circle, our hearts beating wildly as the battle breathed down our necks.

"Jake, no one would blame you if-"

"It's not going to be me, Seth." His voice was strong and determined, ever the Alpha.

"Well, then who?"

Jacob's eyes fell on me.

"Let me," I heard myself plead. I cringed slightly at the needy tone of my voice, but I wasn't about to take my words back. The rest of my pack looked at me in surprise. Well, minus Seth and Jake who were smirking at me.

"What? Stop…looking at me," I mumbled, looking away.

There was an awkward silence.

"Look, if you want to stay man, then…that's cool," Embry finally said. He glanced across the room at my imprint and then back at me with a shrug. "We get it."

"There's nothing to get, I just…."

I was getting flustered. I was fighting between looking like a complete pansy and the need to stay and guard my newly accepted imprint. Fuck my life.

"Collin, you can stay," Jacob finally relented. I sighed with relief, giving him a grateful glance. He gave me a curt nod.

"Thank me later," he said, opening the door. Most of the vampires were already outside, minus the half-breeds and Renesmee's parents. They were still saying their emotional goodbyes, and I didn't envy them. I glanced at Estrella, although I didn't need to look at her to know she was staring at me. I could feel those eyes.

I walked up to her, pulling her to the side slightly.

"Collin, you are going to fight?" she asked, touching my arm.

I looked down at where her hand touched my skin, enjoying the pleasant sizzle of electricity.

"No, I'm staying here to protect you. I'm not going," I explained slowly.

A slow, happy smile formed on her angelic face, and I felt my heart warm. She was so genuinely happy that I was staying that it made me feel light on the inside, despite the impending battle. I took her hand in mine, squeezing it lightly.

"I'm staying," I repeated. We gazed at each other, and I felt myself get lost in her sea-green eyes. I could stay there forever.

"Collin," Jake's firm voice cut through our trance. I jumped slightly, dropping her hand.

"I have to go."

"I know."

"Stay safe," I said firmly.

Estrella gave me a sweet smile, nodding. "You too Collin. Stay safe."

I gave her one last glance before joining the rest of my pack outside. I quickly phased and loped out to the center of the lawn where Jake still stood in human form. He put his hand on my shoulder and looked at me.

"I'm doing this for you – letting you stay. But you have to promise me that if I call, you'll come. NO excuses."

I nodded, letting him know I understood his orders. The fact that Jacob was letting me stay behind while the rest of them fought was something I'd never be able to repay him for.

"Stay here and guard our girls. I know you won't let anything happen to them," he said. "I'm counting on you Collin. I don't have to remind you," he finally said.

"Jacob!" Emmett boomed from the tree line. He smacked his fist against the side of the large tree, making it shudder against the early morning sky.

"I've got to go," he said, giving my shoulder a final pat. He jogged to the trees, and a second later I felt him phase.

The pack mind was a steady hum of concentration. The rest of my pack ran with the vampires to the tundra about five miles away. According to Alice and the tiny bit of information she did have, this was where the newborns would first appear. I shuddered. The last fight with the newborns had been easy, but then again - those newborns hadn't been trained by Jane. It had been years since I had seen the child-like vampire, but she still made the occasional cameo in my nightmares. I didn't want a taste of what she could do.

Moving back towards the house, I began to pace at the edge of the patio. I was watching in my mind, listening intently to the thought of my pack brothers. Everyone seemed cool, calm, and collected. Just how they should be.

I listened through Seth's mind as Alice and Edward tried to gauge how long it would be.

_"How long?" Edward asked Alice. She looked at him, her golden eyes wide. Shaking her head, she looked almost panicked._

_"I…I can't see. I can't tell…if the vision is still right…about three minutes," she said. "Can you hear them?"_

_Edward paused, concentrating. He shook his head. "Either he's got them shielded or they're just not close enough. I don't hear anything."_

_Where are they? _Seth wondered, stamping his paw against the ice.

Jacob flattened his ears against his head, swishing his tail. _They'll be here. We have several things they want, I'm sure of it. _The faces of Nahuel, Isadora, Estrella, and finally Renesmee flashed in front of his mind to remind them all.

_That fucking Italian bloodsucker won't get Nessie, _Quil growled. _Not on my watch._

_Thanks Quil._

_Yeah Jake…we got your back. She won't be a trophy in that collection, _Embry added.

It was only a few minutes later that they came into view. I watched with horror thorough the mind link as the vampires appeared on the horizon. They ran at full speed, each one more horrible looking than the next. I said a silent prayer for my pack brothers that were out on the tundra and hoped that they would all survive.

Then, it started.

The two sides collided into each other. I heard ripping vampire parts and cries and yells….it was hard to listen to, much less watch. These vampires were trained; they were skilled. I watched my pack brothers fight as I paced on the back lawn. With each blow one of the received, the more bloodthirsty I became.

I didn't want a fight, but I sure wasn't going to stand back and do nothing.

I was going to guard what was mine.

The fight continued.

I watched through our pack mind, growing more and more agitated as time wore on. Was I wrong to stay? Should I have joined the fight?

The pack's attention shifted on the battlefield. I winced at what I saw. Bella and Jane were facing each other, circling. They were going to fight. Turning to Jake's mined I could only watch through his eyes in horror.

_Come on, Bella needs our help! Jacob urged._

_Bella? Oh no! Seth yelped, jumping to his feet. The two wolves ran together to where Jane and Bella stood in the center of the battle field. Then both stood up from their initial attack, panting and staring each other down again. _

_"All these years I've wanted to take you and this pack of mutants down!" She snarled._

_"If you so much as touch any of them, I'll rip you to shreds and have a bonfire," Bella hissed back._

_Jane hissed, flashing her white teeth before lunging. The two female vampires rolled together on the snow, a white blur of motion as they swiped and growled at each other. Edward interceded the first chance he got, pulling Bella away from a snarling Jane. He bared his teeth at Jane, making her recoil and step back. Edward held Bella against him, his hand running down the side of her face. Jacob shivered as he realized that Bella had been hurt; her lovely face had scratches down the sides, and a chunk of her hair had been ripped out._

_We can't let her get away with that, was Jacob's only thought as he took in the sight of his injured friend._

_Edward growled deeply in agreement, and Jane's eyes widened as she realized that she had been cornered by the two of them. Both Edward and Jacob prepared to lunge when suddenly they paused. Jacob felt a shiver run up his spine, making him still. Our entire pack felt it. Someone else was there._

Bella took Edward's lapse in concentration and leaped at Jane like a bullet. The two rolled again, a blur of white skin and bared teeth. Jacob and Edward both tried again unsuccessfully to intercede, but it didn't help. We all winced as we heard vampire nails scratching against vampire skin….it was worse than nails on a chalkboard.

Suddenly, I saw Edward looked up through Jake's mind.

"He's escaping!" Edward boomed, his golden eyes wild. I watched as a pair of newborns tore away from the paused fight….towards the house. A few seconds later, I saw Damon follow.

It didn't matter if I didn't want a fight.

I was about to get one.

* * *

Hope you are enjoying this fic! It's winding down, so enjoy these last few chapters, and please review! The next chapter will be in Estrella's POV since you all enjoyed her so much : )


	10. Chapter 9: A Promise

**Chapter 9: A Promise**

* * *

**Estrella**

"I'm growing tired of waiting. If they want to attack, then I'd rather they do it. The waiting is the worst part."

"Bite your tongue. Waiting is not worse than fighting, brother."

My sister shrugged and gave me a bemused look as we watched our bother pace in front of the windows. He was right - waiting was the worst part. However, the last thing I wanted was a fight.

"He's making me nervous," Isadora complained, running her fingers through her sandy curls. We were sitting inside, waiting for the battle to begin.

I watched as Nahuel growled to himself, obviously displeased. I knew he was growing anxious; he was almost as anxious as Collin was on the back patio. My sharp ears could hear his paws crunching on the snow as we waited for news. I stood, walking to the windows that overlooked the back lawn. It was a beautiful, sunny winter morning. The weather did not reflect the mood of the house. Placing my hand on the window, I watched as the heat from it melted the frost on the windowpane.

I watched Collin pace in wolf form below. It was a shame we were in danger for he was beautiful when he was agitated as a wolf. So powerful, so demanding.

I sighed wistfully.

"What about you, Estella? Are you ready for today?" my brother asked, walking over to me. He put his arm around my shoulders, pulling me against his tall, lean frame.

"I'm ready, I think," I admitted. My English was getting better by the day, and I was glad. Collin was slowly talking to me more and more, and it was getting easier to communicate with him. I smiled to myself.

"Let us go outside. I'm going crazy," he finally said, opening the side door. The three of us followed, walking onto the patio. My sneakers crunched against the snow as we walked out, the sun glinting brightly off our skin. We barely sparkled compared to the other vampires, but it was still noticeable in the sunlight.

Collin had stopped his pacing. He was sitting down now, his wolfy ears pricked and his attention to the North. He glanced quickly our way, his eyes lingering on mine. I felt my heart stutter as they met. He made a noise in his chest and turned his attention back to the tree line.

"This is terrible," Renesmee muttered, covering her cheeks with her hands. I walked over to her, linking my arm with hers.

"We will live to see tomorrow, Nessie," I said to her. It sounded strange, but I wasn't sure what else to say.

Suddenly, Collin jumped up with a growl. Renesmee gasped, racing to his side.

"What is it?"

Renesmee watched as Collin crouched down, growling fiercely.

"What is it?" she asked, following his eyes. She held her breath, watching…waiting. "Is something wrong?" she asked.

Collin glanced at her, his eyes shifting to me almost immediately. He made a desperate whining sound, his body tensing.

"Collin? Collin, answer me!...Is…Is someone in trouble?" She asked worriedly. I watched as Renesmee frantically questioned him with no response. Collin continued to pace and growl, occasionally showing his teeth. I watched as he moved, trying to decipher what was going on. I hated the uncertainty of everything the most.

Nahuel jumped up, walking over to stand beside Renesmee. I followed him, as did Isadora. We all glanced at Collin and then out at the sprawling lawn for a sign of what was to come. We were all so jumpy and on edge it was making my teeth chatter slightly.

Silence.

Suddenly, Collin growled. The bits of fur on his shoulder blades stood straight up, and I felt a shiver roll down my spine. He growled again, deeper. Then, he tore across the lawn, sliding to a halt in the middle. He scratched at the ground and made a hissing sound, as if to challenge something.

I gasped.

Two glittering figures emerged from the trees, their blood red eyes glowing. My eyes widened, my senses going on high alert as my body reacted to their scent. They smelled like the other vampires, but they were laced with something different.

Something wild.

Their empty red eyes shone in the morning light, making me shiver again. I watched as they walked from the trees, the gaits predatory.

With a twist of my gut, I realized they were.

_We_ were the bait.

_They _were the hunters.

The man and the woman moved together, their bodies reacting to each other as they stalked cautiously toward us. I inhaled sharply, reaching to grasp my sister's hand. I had never felt so much fear in my life.

Isadora gripped my hand, the bones cracking slightly. I winced, but not from her strong hold. Collin stood in the middle of the yard, snarling and growling fiercely.

"What will he do?" Isadora asked, turning to look at our brother.

"Shh…" Nahuel whispered, signaling for her to keep quiet.

"Do you want to go, or should I?" The man asked flatly, looking at his partner. She smiled, letting the sunlight hit her glittering teeth.

"I want the others. You can have the dog," she said in the same emotionless tone. He nodded, and Renesmee gasped, jumping slightly. She looked back at us with panicked eyes, her breaths short and quick.

I didn't understand.

Their words were quick and low, and quite confusing. I panicked, my heart fluttering to my throat.

Then, it all happened faster than anything I could have imagined. The male vampire lunged at Collin, and for a split second I was afraid. Then, I saw what the wolves were really made to do. Collin rolled with the glittering vampire, his jaws snapping like nothing I had ever seen before. I was mystified; he had as much or _more_ power than the immortal being that attacked him. I didn't have much time to watch, for I saw movement in the corner of my eye.

With a violent hiss, the female vampire lunged forward toward the house.

Towards us.

I watched in complete horror as she lunged at Nahuel, who was not to be underestimated. He grabbed her arm with a violent growl, using her own force to swing her around. The vampire crashed into the side of the house, screeching horribly before jumping back up. Her cracked, damaged skin healed almost immediately. She lowered herself into a crouch, her red eyes wild.

Fear shot through me.

We were in for a fight.

I crouched down with my sister in a defensive stance as Nahuel warned her. "We're not food. You will die if you attack," he said firmly.

"Three against one isn't fair, but I'll still take it," the vampire hissed, slapping her teeth at him. Nahuel growled in warning, but she still continued to stalk closer on the patio.

Before I could blink, the fight began.

The female lunged at Nahuel, and the male lunged at Collin. I felt my head snap in both directions, battling with itself over who to look at first. I felt like I was being torn in two directions as the sounds of fighting filled the air. Both of my friends needed help and I had never felt so completely useless in my life. I didn't have the first clue of what to do.

Nahuel screamed suddenly, pulling my attention in that direction. The sound of his bones crunching made me wince. I gasped, both myself and Isadora lunging forward to help him. The female vampire pounced on him again, the two rolling haphazardly through the snow. Isadora and I each grabbed one of her arms, yanking them away from Nahuel's neck. She was incredibly strong compared to us, and I worried we weren't making much headway.

"Pull!" he commanded through his teeth. We yanked at her arms, our forces combining against her. I couldn't believe I was hurting another creature; it wasn't like me to do such a thing. Nahuel's eyes widened as she lunged at him again. Isadora gasped, her eyes meeting mine.

"Pull!" she urged me. We gritted our teeth, yanking with all our might. It was no use. She pulled herself away, sending us both sailing to the ground with a thud.

I knew that if she was free to fight, she would attack Collin. He might be able to hold off one vampire, but surely not two. I had to stop her before she made it to him.

I stood up, gathering my thoughts and trying to collect myself. The vampire hissed as she watched her mate tangle with my wolf halfway across the lawn. She sunk into a crouch, preparing to spring. It was now or never.

I ran at her. If she killed Collin, she might as well kill me. I forgot all consequences.

My family and friends were in trouble.

I hit the vampire with my body as hard and fast as I could. I felt myself roll across the snow with her, her hard body smashing against mine like a vice. She gripped my arms and her hands felt harder than rock as they squeezed my skin. Then, everything stopped. I was pinned to the ground below her, and her eyes met mine. Time stood still as she glared down at me. I felt my breath catch in my throat as I waited for her to strike.

She lowered herself down and sunk her teeth into my arm. Pain shot through my arm, coursed up my chest, and seared through me like nothing before.

Time got even slower as her venom moved through my body and made my arm burn like it was being held over an open fire. I heard the voices of my friends yelling around me, but everything was starting to blur. The pain of the bite was the only thing I could concentrate on as the fight continued around me.

I rolled onto my side, blinking to clear my vision. She was gone. I saw Collin struggling with the male vampire on the lawn, bits of snow and ice flying up as they rolled together in a snarling mass. Closing my eyes in pain, I tried to concentrate on anything but the venom as it burned in my veins. I didn't know what a vampire bite would do to my body, and I began to fear for my life.

_Would my life end before I had gotten a chance to live it?_

Blinking, I watched as Collin gave a long, blood curdling growl and lunged at the vampire in front of him. A shattering sound filled the air, and I saw the two separate pieces of the vampire separate. I watched as he ripped him to pieces, his jaws shredding through their tough skin. Struggling, I was able to push myself up off the ground. Pain ripped through my arm, making me stagger.

I looked up at the house in time to see the female vampire on the roof screech with anger. Her white, stony hands ripped at a piece of the house, tearing a chunk of the walls away. I staggered to the side as she threw the pieces in utter fury. A few shards collided with my back as I struggled to get out of the way. The splintering wood made me cry out in pain. I staggered, already weak from the venom. Looking up again I could see her red eyes as she focused on the wolf pacing below. He was still shredding the male vampire on the lawn, trying to keep him from reattaching himself and wasn't paying attention.

She was going to attack.

"Collin!" I heard myself scream.

Collin's head whipped up, his dark eyes wild. He spied the female vampire on the roof and began to growl. His lips pulled up to reveal two rows of razor sharp teeth as he began to slap them together to taunt her.

I winced, looking down at my arm. The bloody vampire bite glistened in the morning sunlight, the venom suddenly burning ten times as hot. I gasped and held my hand over the bite, desperate for it to stop burning. My head dipped slightly as I fought to stand, but it was no use. The pain was suddenly too much; it clouded my head and made me sick.

Everything went black.

* * *

My eyes fluttered open as someone shook me violently.

"Estrella! Estrella? Please wake!"

Wincing, I opened my eyes and squinted into the bright sun. My sister's face appeared in front of me as she cradled my head in her lap. Her desperate voice was shaky and panicked.

"She's alive!"

I blinked a few times, struggling to focus.

"It burns," I heard myself say. My voice was dry and cracked and it hurt to speak.

Nahuel limped over to us, suffering from his own wounds. Blood trickled down the side of his head, and his lip was split wide open. He grabbed my arm, studying the bite.

"She's been bitten! What do we do?" I heard my sister wail.

He shook his head, his eyes meeting hers.

"I have to suck the venom out," he said to her. My eyelids were heavy, and I had to fight to keep them open. _What did he mean? _I was had never been so scared and confused in my life. _What had happened to Collin? _

"Do not be afraid," Nahuel said to me in my native tongue. "I will make the pain stop. Trust me, little sister."

He held my arm up to his lips and began to suck. Crying out, I shook in agony as my brother attempted to suck the venomous fire from my arm. Pain ricocheted off every inch of my insides as he tried to help me, but soon it became too much.

The blackness returned.

* * *

I opened my eyes, struggling to get them to focus. They didn't want to cooperate. I groaned and tried to sit up, but a strong, warm hand gently pushed me back down onto the soft bed. Turning my head, I squinted and fought to see. I said the only word that mattered to me right now.

"Collin?"

I heard him chuckle to himself, shifting his weight on the side of the bed.

"Yes, I'm here…"

"Collin….what…."

Don't move, Estrella. Your arm…"

He trailed off, lightly brushing his fingertips across my bare arm. My eyes didn't want to open, but I made them anyway. The first thing I saw was a blurry outline, my eyes slowly focusing enough to allow me to see. Collin stared at me, a tentative smile appearing on his lips. He ran his fingertips across my arm again. I felt goose bumps rise up on my skin where he touched me. Looking around, I recognized I was in one of the bedrooms on the Denali home. It was dark out, although I wasn't sure if it was early or late.

"What happened?" I asked.

Collin sighed, shifting beside me on the bed.

"Edward helped me bandage your arm. Nahuel…he…he saved your life. He sucked the venom out after you were bitten. He fixed it."

I blinked several times, trying to make sense of it all. That last thing I remembered was blacking out and falling down into the snow.

"Nessie and Jake?"

"They're fine."

"And Damon?"

"He's gone. He went with the Volturi. They won't be bothering us any longer. Everything is back to normal or….I guess, as normal as it can get."

"We are safe?"

"Yes, we're safe. It's over."

"I will live?"

"Yes," he said softly, leaning closer. I reached my good arm out, touching his cheek.

"Enough questions. You need to go back to sleep."

"I don't want to sleep…not now," I protested, trying to sit up.

"Please? Everything's over. You need to get some sleep for now."

"We are both here. Breathing. We have made it," I said, struggling over my words. I ignored his worried glances as I let the information soak in. We were all alive and Damon was _gone_. He nodded again, his dark eyes growing slightly emotional.

"Yes, Estrella. We're both here. Alive. I told you we would be. Didn't you believe me?"

His hand touched mine on the bed, his touch lingering.

"I believed you Collin. I trust you - I'll always trust in you."

He stared down at me, a faint smile dancing on his lips.

"Always?" he asked, his smile growing a little bigger. I could feel his breath on my cheek, and it made my face feel hot and my stomach twist.

I liked it though.

I nodded. "Always."

He leaned closer still, his breath as shaky as mine. I could smell his masculine, spicy scent as he moved closer, his hand resting on my hip. I was lying propped up on some pillows, my bad arm out of the way. Carefully avoiding my bandage, he moved in closer and placed a soft, sweet kiss on my cheek, just on the corner of my mouth. I felt my eyes flutter shut as I savored the feeling of the innocent gesture.

"Always," he repeated.

"Collin," I pleaded, my emotions taking over. "Do that again. I…I liked it," I admitted sheepishly.

He smiled, touching my cheek again. "You need your rest. I should leave you alone."

"No," I pleaded in a childish tone. He smirked, his dark eyes dancing.

"You need to rest. You've been through a trauma."

"What is a trauma?"

"Nevermind. Just rest."

"But-"

"What?"

"I…." I fought with my nerves and my words, not sure which was going to win. I was so nervous to say what I wanted to, but I knew that I wouldn't regret it. If the battle had taught me anything, it was that I needed to say what I felt for any day could be our last.

"I want another kiss," I pleaded.

He laughed softly, the bed shaking. "I'll kiss you again…if y-you want me to. But not now. Just rest, and I promise….when you feel better, I'll give you the kiss you deserve."

"Good," I said sleepily. "I want a kiss on the mouth. Like in 'All the Children.' Those types of kisses."

He looked at me blankly for a moment before chuckling again. "Estrella, do you watch TV?"

I nodded.

"I think you mean, "All My Children. Do you watch soap operas?"

"Um…..They don't sing, no," I said with a shake of my head. I was confused at why he thought I was watching an opera, but I didn't have the energy to try to explain the it was a television show.

Collin opened his mouth to argue, but closed it and laughed again. "No, just…never mind," he laughed. Reaching out, he touched my arm reassuringly. "Rest now, and I'll kiss you like they kiss on soaps. I…guess," he said.

I didn't understand most of it, although I did catch that he had agreed to kiss me again. I _did_ know that much.

"Thank you Collin. I will rest now. You can stay?"

He stood up, running his fingertips across my forehead. "I'll stay, sure," he said. He retreated to the corner where a plush looking chair sat. Plopping down, he curled his large frame into it and sighed. "I'll be right here. Now sleep."

I let my head fall back against the soft pillows, a feeling of ease settling over me. Glancing at my bandaged arm, I realized it still stung a bit but I had barely noticed.

Collin had kissed my cheek. He had _kissed_ me. The idea alone was enough to make me forget the rest of the world. And better yet, he had promised me a real kiss. Just like the ones I had seen on TV! I could hardly sleep after that. I drifted in and out, but each time I opened my eyes I saw Collin in the chair in the corner. He was fast asleep, his head thrown back and his mouth open each time. He was making a strange noise as he breathed, but he looked peaceful so I didn't mind. If he was happy, I was happy.

* * *

The next day I woke up feeling much better. My body was still quite sore, which was something new for me. I understood that the vampire venom hadn't reacted well with my body, as Edward had explained to me the night before. He had come to visit me with Nahuel, and the two of them helped me understand everything that had happened. It would take a long time before my arm felt completely right again, and I would always have a scar. I glanced down at the bandage on my arm and felt indifferent. When I thought about everything that had been at stake, a small scar was a fair price to pay in my book.

Collin had been gone that morning when I woke up, but there had been a note on the beside table. There, in his scratchy handwriting had been a few words I _did _know the meaning to:

_Patrolling. Jake made me leave. Be back soon. Promise._

_Collin_

I smiled, glancing down at his messy words on the piece of paper. I folded it up and tucked it inside the camisole I wore.

There was a soft knock on the door, and I turned to see my sister poke her head in.

"You are awake?" she asked, a smile decorating her tan face.

I nodded, turning around with a bright smile to match hers.

"Come in!" I urged, waving her in. She walked in slowly, a slight blush on her cheeks. I smiled wider, realizing the cause of her glow - it was Stefan. The young vampire had done nothing but fall victim to my sister's flirtatious ways, and I was happy she had gotten her way. I knew that they had chosen each other, and judging on the smell coming off of her, they had chosen each other in more ways than one.

She read my face and blushed harder. "I'm sorry…I need to take a shower," she said.

I nodded, wrapping my good arm around her waist. She rested her head on my shoulder, the two of us staring out at the snowy lawn below.

"So you are to stay here, yes?"

She nodded against my shoulder, a happy sigh leaving her lips.

"Yes, I think so. Stefan has asked me to stay with him. I…I love him, Estrella. I want to be with him always."

I glanced over at her as she wrapped her arm around my other side. I squeezed her as tightly as my healing body would allow before pulling back to look at her.

"He makes you happy then?"

She nodded, her blonde curls bouncing slightly. Her bright eyes lit up, and her cheeks resumed their rosy color.

"So happy. I do love him, and he loves me. He wants to stay with me always. And I feel the same. I've never had these feelings before, and….I don't want them to go away. So I'm going to stay here, in Alaska."

I nodded, the two of us breaking apart. I sat on the edge of the bed, my heart feeling light. My sister was happy, and I was happy for her. I knew that she had found her mate in Stefan, and he wouldn't disappoint her.

"You should stay, Isi," I said, resorting to my nickname for her. She nodded, joining me on the edge of the bed.

"You aren't angry?"

"No! What is there to be angry for?"

"I don't know. I've chosen a mate, and chosen to stay here. What will you do?"

I shrugged, another burst of warmth entering my chest. It swelled the most around my heart, and I felt my body grow light as I thought of Collin.

"I think I will be fine," I said with a secretive smile. Isadora bumped my shoulder playfully, and I laughed.

"You and your wolf. I should have known."

"Yes. My wolf," I said happily, linking arms with her. She giggled, and I soon joined in. We talked for a few more minutes about her plans, and she soon left me to rest. When I awoke a few hours later, my throat had begun to burn with thirst, although I felt much better than I had earlier. I crept into the bathroom in my bedroom and began to clean up a little. When I was freshly showered and changed, I opened the bathroom door to see Collin sitting on the edge of my bed.

He looked up at me in surprise, his dark eyes bright.

"Estrella?"

I smiled as he said my name, feeling the tips of my ears grow hot.

"Yes?"

He swallowed, biting his lip nervously.

"How about we take a walk? I um….ah…I h-have something to tell you."

* * *

Oooh, wonder what it is? ; ) Next chapter is in Collin's POV. Enjoy! And please review : )


	11. Chapter 10: Home

**Chapter 10: Home **

* * *

**Collin**

We walked along in amicable silence, no sound but the wind through the trees and our feet against the snow. Estrella hummed to herself happily, loping along with her gazelle-like legs. She would pause and look at me every so often, a faint smile dancing on her pink lips.

She was beautiful.

Her freshly showered scent wafted around my nose, enticing me as we walked through the woods near the Denali home. In the distance, I could hear Emmett and Eleazar pounding away at the beams of the house as they rebuilt what had been damaged by the battle. I wanted to get a little further away from everyone before I said what I had to say.

"Do you need to hunt?" I asked her hopefully. I was nervous, and any distraction would be a welcomed one. It would buy me some time to get my thoughts together.

"Maybe later," she said sweetly, giving me a shy smile. I felt myself grow red as I glanced away. For someone that was shy, Estrella could be extremely flirtatious at times. Not that I was complaining. The fact that a woman that beautiful was paying attention to me was nothing short of a miracle.

"So…your sister is staying here then? With Stefan?"

She nodded, tucking her hair behind her ears.

"Yes, she wishes to stay in Alaska," she said lightly, her accent still a bit thick. She had learned so much English the past few weeks it was incredible. From not knowing anything to being able to communicate effectively with me and the others was amazing. Not that I should be surprised - any free time she had she spent with her nose in either a dictionary or a thesaurus. Edward had explained to me that Estrella's mind was a lot like Renesmee's - like a steel trap. He told me she could remember almost anything she read.

I swallowed, trying to think of a way to get her to talk. I knew she wasn't that confident with her English yet, but I was desperate to keep the attention off of my self.

"What about you? Do you miss home?"

Estrella paused, giving me a little smirk.

"Home? The jungle? Mmm, no. It is not home. Just a place," she said tritely.

I felt my stomach twist nervously - it was now or never. Did I just blurt it out? _'Come live with me!' ? _I couldn't. My tongue seized up and I couldn't speak. She looked at me expectantly as we walked, her bright eyes hopeful.

"Do you want to hunt now?" I asked, reaching for my belt. "I'm going to phase."

I was such a coward.

She shrugged, looking disappointed as we stopped walking. I gave her one last look before trotting over to some trees and stripping down. Peering through the pines, I watched her cross her arms around herself and twist her lips into a disgruntled little pout. Phasing quickly, I returned to her side in wolf form. I nudged her playfully, and a tiny smile appeared on her face.

"We go now," she sighed, nodding. With that, she took off at a run and I followed.

She was fast. Her long legs propelled her forward, sending her long hair streaming out behind her like a golden blur. She traveled North, her nose driving her up a mountainside to where I could smell a herd of large deer. I could tell she must have been dying of thirst; she grunted as her legs moved her faster and faster until I could barely keep my eyes on her. She shot into the mountain meadow like graceful bullet, taking down one elk so fast I almost missed it. I stopped running and watched from a safe distance as she fed.

She was even pretty then.

As I watched, I felt a little better about the whole half-vampire thing. I had always thought vampires feeding was a terrible thing to thing about; they were killing something and drinking it's blood. However, watching Estrella gracefully take down an elk wasn't as horrible as I thought. In fact, it was kinda sexy to watch her stalk and take down her prey.

After finishing her meal, she daintily wiped her mouth and stood up in the icy grass of the meadow. Her eyes skimmed the tree line before she spied me and smiled.

I gave my tail a small wag, letting her know I was still around and un-frightened. She bounded over to me, sliding to halt at my side.

"Want to run?" she asked hopefully. I nodded my large head, and together we took off.

Jake was right - at least about one thing. It _was _amazing to run with her. To just let loose. She bounded beside me as we ran through the trees, finally allowing ourselves to relax. I could tell she loved the speeds our supernatural bodies could reach, for every few moments she would laugh lightly as the pines raced by. We ran for almost an hour; up hills, over icy tundra's, and along the banks of the frozen lakes. When we returned to a familiar meadow not far from the Denali home she finally slowed, her cheeks pink and her eyes wild.

I watched her standing there in the meadow, the setting sun catching on her skin. The light made the tiny facets sparkle ever so lightly, casting rainbows on the ground in front of her. Seeing my eyes, she reached back, letting her hand softly run down my muzzle. It tickled slightly, and I huffed a puff of air at her .

"My wolf?" She asked hopefully, palming my nose.

I breathed in her intoxicatingly warm, tropical scent and fell more in love with her than I already was. I had to tell her.

Instead of answering with a head nod, I backed up a few steps and leaned down, preparing myself to change back to human form. She watched, slightly confused, as my wolf form froze, head down, waiting. Within a few seconds I felt the shift coming on, and before I knew it I was lifting my human body up to stand up straight. I stood in front of her, naked as the day I was born, and she noticed.

"Collin!" she said excitedly, clapping her hands together softly. An exuberant smile crossed her elegant features, and I felt my own face break out in to a matching smile.

"Hi," I replied awkwardly. She stared at me, her eyes lowering slowly to take in my naked form. I saw her eyebrows rise, and I wondered if that was a good sign. I could have pulled on the shirt and pants that were tied to my leg, but she didn't look like she wanted me to bother with that.

She took a tentative step towards me, unsure if she should come closer. I held out my arms to her, and before I knew it I was embracing her hard yet supple body. I hugged her tightly, finally reveling in the feeling that I was home.

All my life I felt like I had been searching for my home, and as I stood in the snowy meadow holding Estrella in my arms, I realized something.

This girl was my home.

Nothing else mattered as I stood there and held her tightly against my chest. She squeezed me back, her rapidly beating heart fluttering against my chest. Turning her head, she pressed her lips against my collar bone and kissed me tentatively. Pulling her head back, she looked up at me as she waited for my reaction. I couldn't speak. The feeling of her lips against my chest was pure euphoria, and I wanted more. I ached for it.

"I won't hurt you Collin," she assured me, still struggling with her English. I stared at her ocean blue eyes, and my hands moved up her arms, over her shoulders, and I cupped her face in my hands.

"You don't hurt me. But I hurt you. I'm sorry," I stated simply, hoping that she would understand. Her eyes lit up, and I knew I had spoken words that she understood.

"It is okay," she stated, still stumbling slightly with her words. "It is okay now. I love you, Collin," she replied confidently, as if she had said the words to me a thousand times. They rang in my head as I struggled to decide if I had heard her correctly.

"You…you what?" I gaped at her.

She looked at me, blinking a few times. "I love you Collin," she repeated, as if it was the easiest thing she had ever uttered from her perfect mouth.

I realized then and then that I had gone years without hearing those words from my own parents; no girl I had ever been with had even come close to saying those words to me either. I had been relentlessly cruel, rejecting this girl again and again countless times as I fought the bond to her, and here she was declaring her love to me like it was the easier thing she had ever done.

"I love you too, Estrella. I'm sorry I was mean. I love you so much," I said firmly, still holding her face in my hands. She smiled the most beautiful, relieved smile, and I saw her eyes begin to glisten. I knew what I had to do.

Slowly, I lowered my face and softly pressed my lips against hers. Nothing had ever felt so right. My imprints lips were warm and inviting, welcoming my mouth against hers like it belonged there. And it did.

She let me take charge, moving my lips against hers as I placed kiss after kiss on her soft mouth. Her lips molded against mine, the searing heat between us nearly maddening. I moaned against her as I felt myself open up and give myself over completely.

What started as an innocent kiss quickly shifted as she pressed back harder, firmly lodging her lips against mine. Our lips moved together in perfect synch, and nothing had ever felt so wonderful. She moaned slightly, curving her body against mine as if we were puzzle pieces. I held her as close as I could, my hands roaming up her back, over her shoulders, into her hair, her cheeks…everywhere. Her skin burned pleasantly against mine as we kissed and explored each other, the feelings quickly growing to an overwhelming level. I could feel myself grow hard as I kissed her, my urges getting the best of me. She let out a surprised squeak as I ran my tongue over her lips. She welcomed me, opening her mouth to let me taste her. I groaned as I ran my tongue along the front of her sharp teeth. For once, the idea of her teeth didn't scare me. In fact, the idea of a little danger thrilled me to no end.

We broke apart completely breathless, both of our hearts beating wildly.

She gazed up at me with her brilliant blue-green eyes and pink cheeks, clearly speechless.

"I love you," I repeated. "I'll always love you. I….I can't be away from you anymore, Estrella."

"No," she agreed, weaving her long arms around my back. She pulled herself against me, burying her face in my neck. "Don't go."

I stroked her silky hair and breathed a breath of relief into the cold air. Peace settled over me as I realized she wanted to leave me about as much as I wanted to leave her.

"Do you know why I love you so much?

"No, I just have hopes that you do," she said in a shaky voice. Pulling away, she looked up at me hopefully.

"I do. And do you know why? You're mine. You're made for me and I was made for you. Wolves, we….we have a magic way to find our other half."

"Other half?"

"Um…" I yanked my hand through my messy hair, trying to explain this. It was extremely difficult to explain imprinting to someone who barely understood why I was a wolf in the first place.

"The magic that makes me a wolf also found you for me. It draws me to you and makes you irresistible to me. I just…when I saw you for the first time I knew that…I knew that I would love you forever."

"You knew? How? I do not…"

"I'm sorry, I know I totally suck at explaining this but…"

"Collin, I be with you forever?"

"Yes. Yes, forever, just…just never leave me. I would just….now that I found you I can't bear to see you go."

"If I belong to you, that is all I need to know," she stuttered, weaving her hands with mine. She gave me a reassuring smile, her bright teeth shining in the sunlight.

"Really?"

"Yes, Collin. We will be together always. Me and my wolf."

I pulled her into my arms, squeezing her tightly against my body. She felt so warm and good and right that I felt like my heart would burst open from the happiness.

I'd never felt so much joy about anything in my life.

Ever.

I wasn't ever going to go back to the way it was.

"Come home with me. Be with me," I whispered into her hair. She nodded against my neck, clutching my body to her hers.

I loved how this girl said things like it was easy.

"Yes," she said happily. "I go where you go," she agreed.

"Good," I said, exhaling with relief. "Stay with me. Stay with me forever."

* * *

The next night, I sat with a freshly showered Estrella in front of the upstairs fireplace. The Denali's log cabin mansion had several very cozy places to loll around and sit, and we had managed to find one of them. Estrella sat with her long legs tucked underneath her body, her damp hair shining in the firelight. I leaned against the front of the couch across from her, watching her green eyes shine.

We grinned at each other, both relieved and happy to be where we were.

"Say it again," she said softly.

I grinned, my face growing hot.

"I love you," I replied quietly.

Estrella beamed, clenching her hands together in her lap. We had agreed in the meadow that she would return home to Washington to live with me. I had no idea what I was getting myself into, but I had a feeling I wouldn't regret anything. She was my imprint, after all. Now that I had found her I was obsessed with the idea of being with her always. She made me feel so calm and collected and like nothing could go wrong as far as her hand was in mine. We would work out the details later.

"And I can come home with you? To Washington?"

I nodded. "Of course. I mean…I don't have much. I have a house."

"You do?" She looked very excited at this idea.

"Yes. Well, it's my dad…my real dad's….old fishing cabin. I don't do much at home besides patrol, work, and fix it up. It's kinda nice…er, I mean it's not bad."

I didn't want her to get the idea that we would be living in some mansion like the Denali home. My dad's old fishing cabin was small but cozy, but it lacked many of the bells and whistles that were common in this particular house. I was fixing my cabin up room by room, and I had a long way to go before I would deem it acceptable, especially for her. I wanted her first real home to be everything she could hope for.

She nodded, her eyes still bright. "I live there with you?"

"If you want to. Sure."

"Really?"

I smiled to myself, suddenly shy.

"I never have a house. You will share it with me?" she asked, clasping her hands together. I should have felt like I was making the biggest mistake of my life by offering her a place in my house; I barely knew her after all. Yet something told me it would be the best thing I had done to date.

Averting my eyes, I felt my cheeks turn pink.

"What's mine is yours," I said awkwardly, shrugging. She laughed lightly, shaking her head at me.

"It sounds wonderful Collin. I want to go see it soon!"

"We're going home tomorrow….we have a long flight."

"In the airplane?"

I nodded. "Are you afraid?"

"Will you be in the airplane?"

"Yes," I laughed.

She smirked at me.

"Then no."

Her words were short and to the point, yet laced with the cute-ness I now associated with Estrella. How someone could have had such an awful beginning life and still be as open and kind hearted as she was remained a mystery to me.

"Do…erm…_does_ your family live with you?" she asked.

I bit my lip, shaking my head. "No, I….I don't talk to them anymore. Too many bad memories."

She frowned slightly, looking confused. I sighed, trying to figure out a way to explain.

"My dad died when I was young, and….my mom wasn't very good. I mean, she did the best she could, but….I don't really talk to her all that much anymore. She has a lot of other kids with her boyfriend and….I don't think she thinks about me that often."

"You do not spent time with her?"

"No. She's got her own life, and I just….she doesn't seem to miss me I guess. It's alright. I've got the pack."

"You are lonely?"

I shrugged, glancing over at her. "Not anymore. But no, not really. I'm used to being lonely."

"Me too," she agreed sadly.

"My family has never really been around much. It's just me."

She looked thoughtful for a moment, cocking her head to the side.

"Me too. No family really. My brother and my sister, but no others. No dad either," she admitted, biting her lip.

I realized we had a lot of bad memories about our family lives (or lack of) that we shared.

"What was your childhood like? I'm just curious."

She shrugged, twisting her hands in her lap. "I grew up on my own. In the jungle. The people in my village…they called me the devil child. They thought I was evil, and…and bad. But I wasn't. I just don't know… how to act. My mother…she is dead…" she stumbled over her words every so often, but her English was getting better and better.

"You mean…" I slowly realized that Estrella's birth was probably a lot like Renesmee's. I hadn't been present, but…the memories Jake had of it were gruesome. Estrella stared at the fire, her bright eyes suddenly saddened.

"I….she died. And the women in the village that tried to care for me….they did not understand what I was. I did not either. Nahuel told me what I am. Why I….have a thirst."

I nodded sympathetically, trying to imagine what her childhood must have been like. It all sounded awful. Ironically, her childhood and younger years sounded a lot like mine - isolating and miserable. She explained further, talking about how she grew up mostly alone in the woods, with no help from anyone. She had no family, as her father Joham had never sought her out after creating her. From what she said, she spent a lot of time alone and scared. However, she had somehow managed to maintain hope that it would all get better someday.

"It did. Nahuel find me and bring me here. To you," she added sweetly. Reaching out, she touched my hand softly, letting her fingertips graze over the back of my hand.

"Yes," I agreed, scooting closer to her. "He brought you to me."

I pulled her into a hug, savoring the feeling of holding my imprint in my arms. She was soft and warm and smelled like heaven; that alone would have been enough. But the real attraction was that she got me. She understood my wolf side, and she understood my past, and what it was like to be immortal. She was the same way.

I had finally met my match.

"We can go home tomorrow?" she asked hopefully, pulling away from me slightly.

I nodded, reaching up to brush some hair out of her eyes.

"Yes, we'll go to my house. Our house, if you want. It's not much, but….it's yours if you want to live there."

She nodded brightly, her eyes happy again.

"Yes, Collin. I live there with you. For always," she said firmly, snuggling against me. She shook with excitement, and I could practically feel her happiness radiating through her soft skin.

For the first time, the idea of going back to Forks truly excited me. For this time, I felt like I was finally going home.

* * *

The next day dawned bright and sunny. I felt the happiest I had felt in ages. My chest was no longer tight and filled with pressure, and my head wasn't aching with worry. Well, it was clouded with thoughts of Estrella and how lucky I was to finally have her, but that was fine with me. I would happily take it. I was eager to trade the misery I felt without her for something better - something lighter.

The Cullens were kind enough to rent a private plane and let us use it to return home. The pack was tired and quite homesick, and I was sure none of us wanted to run. I was worried that Estrella would be frightened by the plane, but instead she was absolutely thrilled, especially with the take-off. I myself had never been on an airplane before, so it was a mutual first.

We spent the plane ride sitting together in the back of the jet, napping and holding hands. She would hold my hand in her lap and lightly trace my palm over and over making me shiver. Alice had introduced her to trashy romance novels, and she read at least two of them on the flight. She would occasionally look at me and blush, quickly turning her attention back to her reading.

"What are you reading?" I asked, glancing at the cover of her novel.

She blushed and held it away from me with her long arms.

"Something not for a man!" she giggled, still struggling to keep it out of my reach.

"The…The Perils of Pleasure?" I gasped, reaching for it again.

Estrella swatted my hand away and laughed again. We earned some looks from all around the plane from my pack mates, but not one said anything. We both blushed and hushed our laughter, easily embarrassed. She returned to her book and I looked away, settling for wrapping my arm around her shoulders. I sat there calmly as I reveled in the way her skin warmed mine, even through our clothes.

I let my mind wander.

What would it feel like….without clothes? I squirmed in my seat a little, trying to push the thought from my head.

Baby steps.

I didn't know if Estrella had ever done anything more than kiss before - instinct told me no. If she was excited for a kiss, something told me my imprint hadn't done much else. Who would she do it with, after all? She had grown up in a jungle not knowing she was half vampire. I was guessing the opportunity hadn't exactly presented itself multiple times.

I tried to calm myself down as the flight dragged on. I had done the hard part - I had found my imprint, I had admitted my feelings for her, and I had accepted her into my immortal life for good. I accepted that she was what I would need in life in order to be happy and whole, and that was enough for awhile. We were imprints after all, so I knew the physical stuff would come eventually.

Soon, I hoped.

When we finally arrived in Forks later that day, I was relieved to see that it was overcast. I wanted Estrella to know that she could live here safely and not worry about her skin glittering too much. She tended to sparkle a little more than Renesmee, which might raise a few eyebrows.

"See? There's almost always clouds here. You'll be safe," I said as we left the airport. Estrella paused, holding out her arm to look at it. She peered up at the overcast sky, a smile on her face.

"No sparkles," she said happily. I nodded, taking her hand in mine.

After leaving the rest of the pack, we finally headed to my dad's old fishing cabin that I now called home.

As we walked inside, I watched her face carefully. She looked around with wide eyes, taking it all in. It wasn't bad really; I had done most of the fixing up myself, and I was confident in my skills as a carpenter. The house was a small cabin-like structure that sat on a hill overlooking a lake. It wasn't large; in fact, most people would label it a small house. However, it was perfect for just me. I hoped Estrella would like it.

"Home," I said simply, putting down her small bag. She smiled politely, walking over to the kitchen counter. She walked around the island, running her hand along the counter as she moved. Her eyes were wide as she took it all in.

"What do you think?" I asked hopefully.

She turned, grinning at me. "It's beautiful. Home."

I walked over to where she stood in front of the window overlooking the lake. My arms went around her middle, and she leaned into my touch. I gazed down at her, focusing on her mouth. I hadn't kissed her since the night before. We still weren't completely comfortable around each other yet; there was still some awkwardness.

Estrella didn't find it all too hard though. Raising herself up only a little, she pressed her lips against mine in a sweet kiss. I groaned a little, losing focus as her lips melted into mine.

We broke apart a little breathless, both our cheeks flushed. She reached up and touched my face, looking at me thoughtfully.

"We're home," she said finally.

"Yes," I agreed with a shaky laugh. "We're home."

* * *

I hope you enjoyed this one - Up next, we see Estrella explore her new world. Oh, and Collin ; )


	12. Chapter 11: New World

**Chapter 11: New World**

**Collin**

* * *

The first day we were in my house, Estrella did nothing but explore and ask questions.

_Lots_ of questions.

"What is this room? What happens here?"

"Um," I stuttered, scratching my head. I looked around my abandoned laundry room that looked like a bomb of dirty sweats and towels had gone off inside of it.

"Not enough laundry."

She giggled, moving on to the next room. My bedroom.

She peeked in, her eyes glittering a little as she stood in my hallway looking very much like a shy, teenage girl.

"And this….is your room?"

"Yeah, that's…where I sleep. When I'm home, that is. I'm….I'm like never here," I said, shrugging. I avoided her curious gaze, cursing myself for living like such a pig. I couldn't really help it though - I was only home a limited amount of time, and usually when I did get home all I wanted to do was relax and sleep.

"You will patrol often?"

I shrugged. "Ever other night, yeah. I guess you can say I work third shift."

"Shift?"

"Yeah,, um…never mind. Will you be alright here by yourself? When I'm patrolling?"

"Yes, I will be fine," she giggled a little, leaning on the doorframe.

I laughed with her, unable to avoid the infectiousness of her giggles.

"What's so funny?"

"I will be safe here Collin. Do you forget that I am half a vampire? I am not…erm….how you say, 'useless'?"

"Well I know, I just worry…."

"No worry. You may turn into the wolf, but I have my tricks too," she said shyly, flashing her white teeth. I shivered a little, remembering for the first time in days of what my imprint actually was.

"I forget. You…you're very pretty. You don't look like the others, um….at least not to me."

"I do not scare anyone?" she pouted, crossing her arms.

I laughed, shrugging at her again. "Well I'm sure you could. But…'

"It's okay. I am not scary, I know this. But I will protect myself."

"Don't worry. I'll patrol by the house at night while you're sleeping. Speaking of sleep erm…you can uh…you can sleep here."

She nodded, glancing at the queen sized bed. An amused look crossed her round face as she peeked further into my messy bedroom.

"And you? Where will you sleep?"

I glanced out at the living room, spying my worn out couch. Even if she was my imprint, I didn't want to be an ass and _make_ her sleep in the same room as me. I didn't want to even assume she wanted to sleep with me. Of course, I hoped she did, but I didn't want to shove myself on her like a horny teenager.

"Um, I was gonna sleep on the c-couch," I said shakily, scratching my head.

"Oh. I see," she said softly, leaning on the door. She tossed her hair and smiled at me, a strange look on her face.

"Is something wrong?" I questioned, following after her like a lost puppy.

"No Collin, it is all fine."

I watched her walk away, her long hair swinging down her back as she made her way back to the living room.

"O-kay," I said to myself, wondering what that had been about.

The next few days were blissful but a bit awkward as we got used to each other. Even though I loved her and she was my imprint, we still didn't know much about each other yet. It was a little strange living with a person I had only known a little over six weeks.

The guys had cut me a break and covered my patrols for the first few days so that I didn't have to leave Estrella in my house by herself. I was shocked; I expected them to harass and tease me about the fact that Estrella was living with me after I had avoided her for so long. However, they surprised me and kept their comments to themselves. Maybe they were just glad to finally see me happy.

And I was. Sort of.

As I said, it was a little strange to live with someone I barely knew, yet really _really _wanted a meaningful relationship with. She was my imprint so I was of course physically attracted to her. Being alone together in my tiny house only magnified those feelings by a thousand. I was surrounded by her scent, her beauty, and just her presence all day every day.

Being in the same house as my imprint was wonderful and maddening all at the same time.

You see, Estrella was prettier than any model I had ever seen, and she had a body like one too. She was impossibly graceful, making even the most awkward tasks seem wonderful. The girl did everything perfect and managed to look cute as hell doing it.

I spent the first full day we were at home teaching her how to do anything she asked that she had yet to perfect. Turns out, you don't learn many life skills when you grow up in a jungle. I taught her how to use a can opener, operate the TV remote, play cards, and brush her teeth. As a half vampire she had no real need to brush her teeth, but she enjoyed the act anyhow. I accidentally drooled spit and toothpaste all over myself as I watched her make teeth brushing actually sexy. It also didn't help that she was also the most physically attractive being I had ever laid eyes on.

I found I spent most of my time avoiding eye contact and figuring out how to hid my random erections.

"Your house is very pretty Collin," she said politely. I nodded and tried to keep from staring at her.

"Uh, t-thanks," I replied, jamming my hands in my jean pockets. She was exploring her way through my kitchen, playing with the odds and ends she found in drawers and cabinets. The more she poked and prodded, the more I realized my house was not set up for two people. I was a bachelor plain and simple; I had never had another human being in my house for more than twelve hours.

"So, you're probably hungry, right? I don't cook as well as Carmen does…um…"

Esme had been dropping by every few days, dropping off food for us. How she managed to cook without even liking the taste of scent of food was beyond me. However, her casseroles and homemade breads were nothing to be scoffed at. We had been living off of her generosity for several days now, but I knew that it couldn't last forever. We were going to have to figure out how to fend for ourselves. As a single guy I lived off of canned goods, pizza, and fast food. However, I guessed Estrella wouldn't want to do the same thing.

"Oh yes, very hungry," she said, patting her flat stomach. Her tan, perfect skin peeked out from between the space of her yoga pants and zip up sweatshirt. I swallowed and looked away to keep from embarrassing myself.

Earlier that day, Alice had brought by a swarm of pink striped bags and left them on our doorstep before we were even awake. They were filled with girly clothes and underwear that all made Estrella absolutely delighted. However, she was still wondering who Victoria was and why she had a secret. I had tried explaining it a few times, but it was pretty impossible. The only thing I knew was that the new clothes had made her extremely happy.

"We can make the macaroni," she offered, holding up a blue box. I laughed, shaking my head at her.

"You like Mac & Cheese?"

"Yes, Renesmee make it for me one time," she admitted. "It is good."

"Then, a dinner of macaroni we shall have," I said, grabbing the box. She giggled and watched carefully as I taught her how to follow the directions on the side of the box. Soon we were sitting down to a meal of root beer floats and macaroni & cheese.

"So good," she said, patting my arm. I chuckled, struggling not to make root beer come out of my nose.

"If you think this is good, you're really gonna flip when I take you to a real restaurant," I admitted.

"This is not real food?"

"No, it is. It's not nice food. _Good _food. If you want, next week I'll take you to Port Angeles. We'll go to a real dinner. Get some steaks," I said, winking at her.

"Oh!"

"What?"

"What is this?" she asked, attempting to wink at me. She squinched up one side of her face as she tried not to giggle.

"It's called a 'wink'. It's….something you do when you say something funny. Or….er, yeah."

She didn't look like she quite grasped what I was saying, but I spent the rest of dinner teaching my imprint how to wink.

As the day passed, we spent time together just talking. I helped her write out a list of things she wanted to do, and tomorrow we were going to write a list of places she wanted to travel to. I felt like I was helping her discover an entire new world, and I felt honored to be the one to give it to her. I just hoped I could live up to whatever expectations she had of me. She was so innocent and lovely that I could hardly believe she had found me.

I could hardly believe she was mine.

"I am so sleepy," she finally admitted, resting her head in the back of the couch. "But I will try the nightgown Alice give me!"

She jumped up hurriedly, racing to the door of the bedroom with lightning speed. I stood up and watched her stand in the doorway with a hopeful look. I stood up, following her over to where she stood.

"Did you like the clothes she brought?"

She beamed up at me, her eyes lighting up.

"Very much. Alice say she will take me shopping!"

"Oh dear," I groaned, covering my face. I could only imagine what that would cost. Alice wasn't known for being able to rein herself in when it came to spending money.

"You do not want me to go?"

"No, no, I um….no, that would be great. She would love to have a friend to shop with," I admitted, giving Estrella a smile. She grinned back, raising up slightly on her toes. Her lips met mine in a sweet, innocent kiss.

"I love you, Collin. Thank you for….so much. You let me stay in your house and you cook me the food, and….I do like it here."

"Good," I said, wrapping my arms around her waist. She leaned against my chest, letting her head fall on my shoulder. I held her close for a few moments, just breathing in the scent of her. She enjoyed the hug; I felt her strong arms squeeze me tighter, a contented sigh coming from her mouth.

She looked up suddenly, her brilliant eyes hopeful.

"Will you kiss me?"

I felt my stomach do the familiar nervous flip that it always did when we were about to kiss.

"Of course. You can kiss me anytime, babe."

"Babe?" she asked, cocking her head to the side. I laughed at the cute way she expressed her confusion over something she didn't quite get. I brushed a stray strand of sandy hair away from her eyes and nodded.

"It's…..it's something you say. It's a term of…endearment. It's just a name for someone."

"Babe?" she repeated. "Hmm…I like it. Now kiss me, _babe."_

I chuckled and leaned down slightly, connecting my lips with hers. She peppered my mouth with kisses, tightening her grip around me. I moaned a little and let my hand touch the skin on her hip that was exposed. My other hand went to the wall behind her head as she deepened the kiss. Her mouth opened further, inviting me to taste her.

Her scent, her eyes, her skin…it was all too much. I wanted her too badly to test myself like this. We broke apart a little breathless, my eyes struggling to open. She looked surprised and a little disappointed that our heated kiss hand ended so abruptly, but she said nothing.

"I um…I'll…see you in the morning," I replied, tripping over my words. I shrugged and tried to clear my thoughts of seeing Estrella in a nightgown from Victoria's Secret.

"Goodnight Collin," she said softly, biting her lip. The door closed with a soft click and I exhaled the breath I'd been holding. When I was sure she was asleep, I tiptoed to the bathroom and locked the door. I turned on the shower and let it steam up the room before climbing inside. I soaped up my body to try to relieve some of the tension that had been building in my body the entire day. It was getting harder and harder to avoid thinking _those _types of thoughts about my imprint, and I was steadily losing the battle. With a grunt of defeat, I closed my palm around my aching erection and began to relieve myself.

It didn't take long; the past few days of being conveniently cooped up in my house with my imprint left me with a slew of raunchy, sexy thoughts to bring myself over the edge. I came hard against the shower wall, my breaths heavy and labored. I struggled to quiet myself as I basked in my post-orgasmic bliss. It was important for me to remember that my imprint was half vampire and most likely had better hearing than I did. I certainly did not want to explain _that _to her in the morning. My cheeks burned as I thought of Estrella in my bed, sleeping soundly. I pictured her long, lean body adorned with something black and silky, perhaps a bit see-through.

I groaned. Just like that, my body was begging for my attention once more.

It was going to be a long night.

* * *

"Collin!"

I frowned in my sleep, groaning. What could possibly be screaming my name at this hour? I shifted on the couch, trying to go back into the peaceful dream I was having about Estrella. We were in a mountain meadow together, just like in Alaska - only this time we weren't just hunting.

"Oh…oh…_Collinnnn!"_

I jumped up with a start, my eyes wide and alert. I recognized Estrella's voice calling for me, and she sounded like she was terribly scared of something. Wincing at the slightly painful tent in my sweats, I threw the blanket off of myself and struggled to stand upright.

I glanced over into the kitchen and saw my imprint up on the counter, holding onto the open cabinet for dear life. Her eyes were huge and she was chattering under her breath in a language I didn't understand.

"What? What is it?" I asked, hurrying over to her. She gripped my hand and pointed with her other, scared little squeaks coming from her throat. I glanced down expecting to see something horrible on my kitchen floor, but only saw a medium sized wood spider.

"What is it?"

She squeaked again and pointed down to the floor where the spider was. I gaped up at her as she stood on the counter and continued to squeak in panic. Then I realized she was in a very flimsy, very silky, and very girly looking short nightgown. I felt my crotch twitch as I stared up at her absolutely captivated.

"Get the….oh….Collin!" she shrieked.

I jumped a little, releasing her hand and grabbing a paper towel. I quickly smashed the bug and ran to the toilet to flush it down. I returned to the kitchen, still flushed and a little aroused from seeing her in her nightgown.

"It's gone," I announced somewhat proudly. Estrella whimpered a little, glancing behind me as if to verify whether or not I was actually telling the truth. She hopped down, her eyes scanning the floor warily.

I couldn't help it. I burst into laughter, making her jump again.

"You…you're kidding me. You're afraid of SPIDERS!" I laughed. She pouted for a moment, crossing her arms over her chest.

"It is not funny. They are creepy crawly and I do not like," she insisted, turning away.

I instantly felt bad for making fun of her, but it was actually pretty funny. My nearly indestructible, half vampire girlfriend was afraid of spiders.

"You are laughing at me?"

Her voice was small and indignant as she crossed her arms over her chest and frowned. She looked more like an angry kitten than a steaming mad, half-vampire vixen.

"Estrella," I pleaded, walking over to her. She turned away, still pouting. Walking up behind her, I wrapped my arms around her and tried to get her to turn around. "Estrella."

"No," she insisted, turning the other way. I locked my arms around her tall body, holding her against me so that I could whisper in her ear.

"I'm sorry," I insisted, my voice soft. I felt her shiver.

"You are not," she quipped.

"I am. I'm sorry. I'll kill any spider you ask me to. I'll go into the forest and kill every single one within a hundred mile radius. I promise. Estrella…."

A short, brief giggle escaped her mouth, and she struggled to cover it. I pulled her tighter against me still, pressing my mouth against her neck. She moaned lightly, pulling away.

She was playing hard to get.

"No…" she uttered, squirming in my arms. She was strong, but I was strong too. I locked my arms around her torso, holding her against me.

"Come on…I said I was sorry."

"You make fun…" she whined again, turning her head away.

I smiled against the back of her head, lowering my lips to her neck again. I kissed her several times, letting my mouth ghost against her skin ever so lightly. Then, when I felt goose bumps rising up on her neck I gave in. I deepened the kiss, sucking lightly on the crook of her neck. I felt her body relax a little as she leaned against my chest.

"Stop," she whispered.

"I'll stop."

She giggled softly, reaching around to wrap her arm blindly around the back of my head. She leaned her back against my chest completely, her head to the side to give me better access. Her body relaxed even further and I could feel her hot skin even through her nightgown. I myself was only in cut off sweats, and the lack of clothing was making things….hard.

Literally.

"You're…so beautiful," I slipped, dragging my lips up her neck. She shivered again, another giggle slipping out of her mouth.

"Collin….sto….s-stop," she laughed, turning around in my arms. Her bright eyes locked with mine, her mouth curving into a pout. She mock-glared at me and I did the same back.

"You want me to stop?"

Her face broke into a warm smile as she fidgeted against me.

"No," she said softly, giving me a tiny smirk.

I leaned forward, letting my lips brush against hers as lightly as I could manage. I paused, slowly pulling away to get her reaction. Estrella gave me an irritated little growl and I smiled to myself. I'd never heard _that _growl before.

It was so….cute.

"You asked me to stop," I whispered in a teasing tone.

She growled again, louder before pressing her lips against mine. She kissed me softly at first, then harder. Her kissing had always been flawless, but she was learning how to quickly make it expert. Her pink, pouty mouth moved against me, her soft flesh cradling mine as she kissed me. I groaned and pulled her closer, growling myself as her thigh came in contact with my hardness. She squeaked again, and for a second I thought she was upset.

Then she attacked me. In a good way, of course.

I was up against the cabinets in a faster than I could take a breath. She pinned my arms on the counter behind me, moving her mouth aggressively against mine. Our tongues met and tasted each other, both of us fighting for dominance. I grunted and pushed against her, switching our positions. I mirrored what she had done to me: I pinned her against the counter, her backside pressed against the kitchen cabinets without a centimeter to spare between us.

Our kisses deepened as we made out in my kitchen, my body screaming at me. I knew she could feel my hardness in my sweatpants, for she kept grinding the silky material that covered only half of her thighs against me. She moaned as I let my hand slipped down the front of her shoulder, grazing her breast. I pulled my hand away quickly, my eyes opening slightly.

"Sorry," I said, pulling away. My groin ached as adrenaline mixed with need coursed through my hot veins. I wanted this girl - I _needed_ her.

But I wouldn't push her. No. If she had a memory like a steel trap, I knew that her first memory of me like _that _couldn't be of one where I pushed myself on her with insane, animalistic need. I wanted to be everything she needed and could hope for. I wanted to be perfect for her - for once in my life. I had messed up so much of our beginning; I needed to get this part right or I would be disappointing her.

She took a few deep breaths, her cheeks visibly pinker. Licking her lips, she gave me a sultry gaze. How she could look so sensual and yet so innocent was beyond me.

"I like when you kiss….kiss me like that. I feel….'

"Good?" I offered hopefully. She moved forward, curving herself against the front of my body again. I closed my eyes and clenched them as I fought to remain in control.

"Oh God," I muttered under my breath, gripping the island behind me. The butcher-block counter groaned under my grasp, but that was the last thing on my mind.

I opened my eyes a few seconds later and was greeted by Estrella staring straight at me. She moved even closer if that was possible, her warm breath blowing on my face. Running her hands up my arms, I felt myself shudder from the inside out; her touch was enough to make me go insane.

My eyes dipped down to look at her breasts. They were small but still perfect in my mind; I had never been much for boobs anyhow - I was more of a legs and ass kind of guy. However, Estrella's breasts were nothing short of amazing. Tan and pert, the nightgown she wore did little to hide them, and my body took note. The baby pink fabric was softer than silk, and felt like heaven mixed with her smooth skin. Her nipples were slightly hard with what I hoped was excitement, and I could barely glance at them without wanting to flip her onto the kitchen counter and have my way with her.

"Collin….you look at me strange."

I swallowed the lump in my throat, looking at the floor. "I uh…you, are…just…really…um…pretty. And you…erm…you're just _so _pretty, Estrella," I laughed nervously. She snorted a laugh, stepping back from me.

God I was an idiot.

"Do you really think that I am pretty?"

I guffawed quietly, my nerves getting the better of me.

"How could I not? I mean….you're my imprint. I think you're gorgeous. No matter what you do, you…..you drive me wild, Estrella."

She shuddered a little, rubbing her hands along my forearms. Goose bumps rose on my skin, making her giggle.

"What?" I laughed, leaning into her neck. I breathed in her scent, both nervous and giddy at the same time.

"You make me the same crazy," she admitted, holding up her arms. I smiled to myself as I realized she had the same goose bumps lining her tan arm.

My mouth fell open a little, my pants becoming a little tighter. Her thigh was barely brushing against mine, yet I knew she could feel my hardening arousal. Her heart rate quickened and she sucked in a quiet breath.

"I am sorry. I do not wish to make you take another shower," she said, a slight twinkle in her eye. My jaw dropped open. Partly in shock, partly in disgust with myself. But mostly embarrassment. She knew what I was doing in the shower. Of course she knew.

_Fuck._

My cheeks burned as I struggled to find the words to defend myself. She giggled, leaning back against the counter.

"Collin, it is okay. You should not feel bad."

"I'm just embarrassed," I admitted, running my hand through my hair. "Shit, I….I didn't mean for you to hear that. I'm sorry, I just….you….you make me so crazy," I stuttered, sounding like an idiot.

Estrella stared at me, her eyes growing slightly shy. She bit her lip, inching closer to me. Her gaze met mine, her eyelashes brushing the tops of her cheeks as she batted them at me. Her arms went around my neck and I instantly felt a little better at just a simple touch.

Ah, imprint magic at work. I felt my stomach clench as my body once again disobeyed my fight to stay calm. Her scent wafted into my nose, making me grit my teeth.

"I tell you something now?"

I nodded, desperate to change the subject.

"Sometimes….I feel like you do," she replied shyly, her own eyes dropping to the floor. My hand found her waist and palmed the soft skin there. My arousal was calming down, but my love for her was growing. I had been absolutely humiliated by getting caught, and she had volunteered something to make me feel better. My heart swelled with love.

"Really?"

She nodded, looking slightly uncomfortable.

"Sometimes. Sometimes I feel….so very…..so frustrated," she admitted. Her eyes were still shy and questioning, but there was a hint of something else there too.

Curiosity?

I exhaled shakily. "Me too."

"So…this is not wrong?"

I cracked a small smile, shaking my head. "No. It just means that….we should go slow. We should…you know, just…"

She frowned, obviously a little confused. I wondered if she put two and two together. After all, she did grow up in a jungle. How much could she possibly know about sex? I wasn't sure.

"I….think about you sometimes. And my body gets…erm…tight. And….sparkly."

"Sparkly?"

"Oh….that is not right….um…"

"Tingly?"

"Oh, um..yes. Sorry. _Tingly. _And…." she blushed, running her hands down my forearms. "Then I do like you do in the shower. With the breaths and the moaning," she said, bursting into a round of nervous giggles.

I laughed with her, relief washing over me. Estrella glanced up at me shyly, her gaze suggestive.

"What?"

She gave me a coy smile, nudging my arm.

"I may grow up in jungle, Collin, but I did see also see the animals. At times….you grow to understand….It is the general idea, yes?"

I laughed again, my love for my imprint growing stronger and stronger by the moment. She was letting me know that she knew what sex was, and I hoped she was insinuating that she actually wanted it with me.

_One step at a time Collin, one step at a time._

"Yes, you're right. Although with people it's….a little different."

"Well…one of us is part animal, no?" she laughed, giving me another coy grin. She traced her finger up my bare arm, making me shudder again. A satisfied smile appeared on her pink lips as she looked at me.

I pulled her closer, kissing her forehead.

"Yes, I am."

"And I have read Alice's naughty books," she added, as if trying to convince me even further.

"You mean the romance novels?" I asked. She nodded. "Yes….they are quite…"

She trailed off, her cheeks turning slightly pink. I grinned, feeling like a kid that had gotten his hand caught in the cookie jar.

"They're smut."

"What is 'smut'?"

"Oh erm…..ah, it's like….reading something, uh….that makes you….feel like you feel with the ah, 'moans and the breathing'," I choked out, trying not to laugh.

"Oh….I see."

I looked at her questioningly. "You…you see? What do you mean? What does that even mean?"

"I think it means that I need another of Alice's naughty books!" she laughed, twisting herself out of my arms. She gave me another one of her coy smiles as she walked over to the fruit bowl that Esme had restocked. Ripping a banana off the bunch, she bit her lip and made her way to the other side of the kitchen. I sighed, leaning back against the counter.

"What?" she asked with a light laugh.

"Estrella…..You make me laugh."

She nodded good naturedly, a twinkle to her eye.

"I am good for something then, yes?"

* * *

I think this next chapter is going to have what you are all waiting for ; ) I wasn't sure how to portray that Estrella is innocent, yet she also does know the basics of life. Hope you enjoyed this one! Favorite one to write so far!


	13. Chapter 12: No Angel

Chapter 12: No Angel

Estrella

I stretched and inhaled, smiling to myself. I could smell his scent all around me as I pulled the soft blanket around myself tighter, snuggling into the covers. I imagined him next to me, the two of us tangled up together beneath the sheets.

Away from the world.

Just the two of us.

I sighed, opening one eye.

I was alone.

My ears perked up when I heard the sound of the shower. Collin's scent and familiar heartbeat wafted out of the tiny room from the crack in the door. Such a reassuring sound! I closed my eyes and concentrated on the sound of his firm, steady heart as it pumped in his strong, wide chest.

_Mmm, his chest. _

My mind pictured the tan, broad muscles beneath his skin and I felt my own heartbeat begin to quicken. Thinking of him always made it do that without my control.

He was so beautiful. Could a man be labeled as 'pretty'? He certainly was to me. He moved like the stealthy jungle cats back home. Smooth, sleek, and perfectly coordinated despite his large size.

I frowned, thinking of home.

I didn't miss it. At all.

It was the first time I had thought of home since arriving in Forks I realized. Perhaps that was sign I never wanted to go back? The forests of Forks were much different than the jungle back home. The colors, sounds, smells…..it was all different. But different in a good way.

The beauty of the jungle did not amuse me; it only signified loneliness. I would take the damp, cool weather of Collin's home any day over that. I had no desire to ever leave his side again now that I had seen what life with a mate was like.

But were we mates?

The vampires in Alaska had referred to each other as many different things; there were many different words, but they all had the same meaning. They were together - _always. _The two parts were never far from one another and they acted like the world would stop without the other.

Was that what Collin was to me? I wanted him to be. But there was something that those couples did that we did not. I blushed and was suddenly thankful that I was alone in the bedroom while thinking of such things. Could I help it if my thoughts always turned tawdry when Collin was in them?

Reaching across the wide bed, I touched the empty spot next to me. How badly I wanted him near me! I hated when we said goodnights in the doorway of the bedroom. With each passing evening, our kisses grew longer and more frantic as we tasted and explored each other. But, each night like clockwork he would politely pull himself away and bid me goodnight. My body would scream with need as I put myself to bed without him, imagining what it would be like to _not_ have to say goodnight.

I was growing tired of being patient.

I could hear him washing in the next room, the droplets of water hitting the tile floor with tiny splashes. As happy as I was here with Collin, I wanted more.

I wanted to be closer.

Intimate.

I had read Alice's risqué novels about love and passion and rolling around in a bed. I had put two and two together when I heard the members of Renesmee's family together at night. It was part a guess and part instinct, but I had managed to figure it all out. Never before had I seen anything like it; each night, the vampires of her family would pair off and retreat to their own areas of the Denali cabin, and _oh! _The noises I would hear.

But it sounded like good noises.

Fun noises.

No one ever seemed upset with their mate after _that. _

But I was jealous. I wanted the same thing - with Collin. To let our bodies melt together, to kiss and touch and please each other. I wanted to hear my name tumble from his mouth as he did the things the people in my books did to each other.

I lifted my head from the pillow suddenly. Collin was still in the shower, but his heart rate picked up slightly. I could hear his hand as it moved slowly against his skin, picking up speed with each stroke. Smiling to myself, I took a small bit of joy in the fact that I knew what he was doing. He had been so embarrassed and shameful the other day in the kitchen, but I didn't want him to be. I was shy and nervous too, but I knew more than anything that I wanted to do those things with him.

I wanted him.

All of him.

But he was so difficult! Always pausing and laughing and second guessing himself! After all, he was the one who had spent his time with humans - he knew how to do these things. I had no clue how to initiate what I wanted to do.

I listened to the sound of his soft yet heavy breaths as they echoed slightly against the tiles. I could hear skin on skin and I knew that was the sound of him pleasing himself. He did it almost every day - was that normal? I pleased myself from time to time back home, but I had been to embarrassed to do anything while with my brother in Alaska. It had always been something very private and sacred to me, and not something I indulged in often. But when I met Collin…..oh the urge! I didn't understand at the time how my urge to pleasure myself would somehow possibly involve another person. Animals did not mate for fun, after all. The whole thing was confusing until I had a dictionary and Alice's romance novels.

Alice's gifts had cleared up a lot of my confusion about love and sex.

But I was not as crafty as the women in these books! How did I make him notice me?

We would often kiss and sometimes he would touch me, but never where I wanted him to - and never as long as I would want to. He would always pull away and leave me breathlessly wanting more. I didn't understand this 'imprint' thing, but I understood enough to know that it meant he belonged to me, and me to him.

That was really all I needed.

The water in the shower shut off, and I heard him pick up a towel and run it up and down his body. I peered at the crack in the door from his bed, but saw nothing.

I frowned and thought of an expletive I had learned from Nahuel.

The door swung open and there was Collin, wrapped in nothing but a towel. I sat up, a smile making it's way across my cheeks. He turned a little red - first at the ears, then the tips of his cheeks - before returning the gesture.

"Um, h-hi," he said, giving me a boyish grin.

"Hi," I repeated back.

He was so cute.

I bit my lip and glanced at his muscled chest that was still glistening with water droplets. Was it wrong that I wanted to lick him? I felt myself start to turn a little red to match him.

"What?" he chuckled awkwardly, fiddling with the doorknob.

"Nothing," I replied, giving him another grin. His eyes darted away from mine, returning to glance at my nightgown seconds later.

"I um….didn't know you were awake," he mumbled, walking over to his dresser.

I shrugged, giving him a mischievous grin.

"Yes, I have been awake for some time."

I watched his blush turn his skin completely scarlet as he rummaged through the clothes, discretely pulling out a pair of boxers. He avoided my eyes as he walked back over to the bathroom.

"Collin," I said pleadingly, my voice breaking the silence. He glanced up at me, his eyes full of shame.

"Yes?"

I stood on my knees in the bed, aware that the thin lace of my short nightgown left little to be imagined. The satin covering split halfway up my chest, leaving most of my breasts bare except for a thin layer of cream lace.

I was going to use this to my advantage.

I made a motion for him to come closer, and he obliged. He stopped inches from the edge of the bed, only a short distance away from me. I could smell his fresh, minty breath and smell his clean scent. I wanted to devour him, but I just didn't know how to start.

"Do….did…you sleep well?" I asked, correcting myself.

He gave me a shaky smile, nodding as he clutched the towel around his waist.

"Y-yes, did you?"

I nodded, reaching forward. I took his hand in mine, prying it from his towel. "I miss you."

"I'm right there, in the living room. On the c-couch," he stuttered, looking back towards the main room.

I shook my head, loving how kind he was. Such a gentleman.

"I miss you in the night. So cold by myself…and you…" I said, sliding my hand up his arm, "You are so warm."

I was playing with him.

If he knew, he didn't seem to mind.

He gave me a nervous smile, his brown eyes going a little wide.

"Well…I…um, could get you more blankets? Or…um…"

"My wolf can sleep in this room with me. So I am not alone. And so you….are not alone in there, yes?"

He gaped at me, his jaw dropping open. "Um…."

I realized how uncomfortable I was making him by pressing the issue.

"It is okay. I will be fine," I relented finally, reaching up to touch his cheek. I ran my hand through his damp, shaggy hair and smiled.

"I love you," he said softly, meeting my eyes.

"I love you," I stated back firmly, nodding at him. "From the first time I see you."

He smiled at me, his gaze suddenly growing a little sad.

"We are meant to be together, Collin," I said softly, patting his cheek.

"Yeah….yeah we are," he replied, his voice firm. His eyes met mine again, he leaned forward with a hungry gaze. I barely had the time to smile back at him before his lips were pressed against mine in a hungry kiss.

I moaned softly, surprised but delighted at the gesture. His kisses were soft at first, then grew firmer and held more passion. He moaned as well, his hands finding my hips and pulling me closer. I pressed myself against his warm, hard body as we kissed, my insides rejoicing.

This was what I wanted.

His tongue sought entrance past my lips, and I obliged. Collin tasted me freely, his hands moving to cup my cheeks and coax my jaw open further. I whimpered with delight as his tongue caressed mine with soft, loving strokes. For heavens sake, I didn't know kissing could be this wonderful! Running my hands down his chest and stomach, I felt him shudder as I rested them on his hips. He groaned again, breaking our kiss.

"Estrella," he said softly, his voice barely a whisper.

I growled softly, pulling him back against my mouth. I wasn't finished.

Kissing him softly a few times to warm him up, I fought back my nervous feelings and summoned a few pages from Alice's books. My lips dragged their way from his mouth, over his chin and down his neck. I softly licked his throat as I wrapped my arms around his back and pulled him even closer to me. Moving up, I lightly kissed under his ear and felt him shudder from the inside out.

Pausing, I looked up at him and grinned a little. He chuckled shyly, ducking his head. I returned to what I was doing, hoping to get more of a reaction from him. Taking a chance, I softly pulled his earlobe into my mouth, sucking slightly. Then, I kissed him deeply under his ear and smiled to myself when I felt him suck in a deep breath.

"Oh God," he muttered, gripping my hips with his strong hands.

"This is not my name," I giggled, pecking him lightly on the cheek. He turned his face and captured my lips with his again in a long, deep kiss. Pushing me backwards, we were suddenly on the bed….and he was hovering over my body. I ran my hands up his taught, muscled arms and tried to memorize every glorious curve and dip. I tried unsuccessfully to stifle my moan as his weight settled on top of me.

"Sorry," he laughed, joining in my giggles. It seemed as though we were always giggling and letting our nerves get the better of us when we were like this.

"It is fine," I whispered, pulling him to my mouth again. I kissed him deeply, conveying what I wanted. I hoped he would be able to know and then not only acknowledge it but _give _it to me. He groaned and pulled himself closer to my body, his still-damp skin against my nightgown. I thought my being dressed so scantily would make him run away nervously like it usually did, however, today he seemed to actually be enjoying it. I could tell that my flimsy nightwear sometimes made him a little bit uncomfortable; he would almost always give me lingering glances and hurriedly look away when I caught him.

But I didn't mind.

From what I understood, that was the general purpose of nightgowns that didn't cover much.

Collin moved his hips against my center, causing a tingling sensation to roll through my body. That was enough to make me stop thinking worrying nightgowns, that was for sure!

I was beyond exuberant that he was agreeing to be with me like this and take things this far, but I was also nervous. This was very new territory. As much as I wanted it, I was also afraid of it.

How would I know what to do?

What was normal in these situations?

I had yet to find a book that would explain the art of seduction in a way I could understand and apply to my own life.

He palmed my stomach, his hand skirting across the soft fabric of my nightgown. I shivered slightly as my body seemed to rejoice at his touch.

"Do you like my nightgown?" I asked as his lips trailed down my neck. He grinned against my skin, nodding into my shoulder. I could feel his face grow hot as he laughed again.

"Yes….very much," he admitted, sucking lightly on my skin.

I felt bumps of pleasure rise up on my collar bone where his fiery lips touched me. I found it hard to not pounce on him and pin him to the bed. I had thoughts of holding him down with my strength and having my way with him. But would I be able to hold him down, or would his muscle match my own? The uncertainty thrilled me as he continued to kiss and nuzzle my neck.

His hands roamed wildly, but he kept his touch feather light and gentle making me even more insane with need. I whimpered lightly, pulling his face back up to mine in a frantic kiss. He responded with vigor, pressing his lips against mine as our tongues tasted and played together.

Whatever this was, I liked it.

I wanted more.

Collin's hand seemed to read my mind. Was this perhaps the connection he would speak of when I would ask him why I was here? Was this why I was so drawn to him, and him to me? Either way, when his hand began traveling down to where I needed him to touch me the most I didn't complain.

His hand brushed against me, making me jump.

"S-sorry," he muttered.

"Yes…I…I want…." I whispered in his ear. My back arched voluntarily, pressing my feminine center against his fumbling hand. He coughed and avoided my eyes as I waited impatiently for him to touch me again.

"O-okay," he replied, nodding against my check. Softly, he kissed my collar bone in a teasing way, making me moan again. He was so unsure of himself, and yet so sweet! His shyness was one of the things I found so endearing.

He lifted his lips from my skin, taking a few moments to find his words. I watched as he endearingly struggled to say what he wanted to.

"You are…so sexy."

"Me?" I half breathed, half laughed.

He nodded, and we both giggled. My laughter was cut short as his fingers softly ran across the front of my underwear, but lower this time.

"Oh…C-Collin," I stuttered. His hands on me made it hard to talk or even _think._ A wave of ecstasy floated over my skin as I felt my eyes roll back in my head.

This was what I had been waiting for.

He sucked in a breath, panting lightly in fear.

"Did I hurt you?"

"NO!" I laughed, opening my eyes.

"O-Oh, okay," he stuttered again, smiling brightly at me. He looked so childlike at times it was adorable. Other times, he looked more the part of the sexy werewolf - the mix between the two had a mouthwatering result for me. We giggled nervously together again before he resumed. Up and down his fingers moved against the soft material of my underwear. Each time he moved lower and lower until he was finally touching my most sensitive spot. Strangely, my nervousness faded away as his hand moved to pleasure me. I arched my back more and bit my lip to keep from crying out; it just felt so good. His hand felt more familiar than my own.

I felt my legs spread further apart as he touched me, my body begging him for more. He sucked on the spot below my earlobe, showing me how crazy it could make the both of us. I whimpered again as I steadily lost more and more control.

Closer and closer he brought me, his hand moving against my body in a torturous yet beautiful dance. I turned my head sideways, biting the pillow next to my face to keep from crying out. He moaned as his own breathing sped up as he dragged his lips across my neck. Moving so the he was on his side, his hand changed angles and made me gasp. I tangled my legs in his, wanting to feel every bit of him I could as he brought me closer and closer.

"So….so….ugh…." I cried, lost for English words. The euphoric feelings he was giving me were even making my sharp mind struggle as it fought to keep up. Waves of blissful heat rolled across my body, stemming from where he was touching me. His fingertips moved against the fabric of my underwear, bringing me closer and closer to release.

Opening my eyes, I looked at him and was surprised to see him staring down at me. I smiled a little, trying to tell him it was okay - he looked happy but concerned. He shouldn't have been; he knew what my body wanted and was giving it. I felt like the stars and heavens themselves were exploding within me as his hand sent me tumbling over the edge into the place I had been wanting to go.

Release.

Oh, sweet release.

It felt like all of my worries, all of my fears, and everything else that plagued me had simply floated away and all that was left was _this - _this feeling, whatever it was!

Blinking, I fought to see the ceiling of his bedroom with clear eyes. Collin exhaled sharply into the crook of my neck as my hand grasped his arm. He was breathing heavily as well, his eyes dilated and hungry as he stared down at me.

Slowly, he pulled his hand away, giving me a lingering kiss on the mouth before leaning back slightly to let me catch my breath. Stars lingered in my eyes as I blinked and gripped his sheets as I came down from my release.

My brain struggled to form words and sentences to say to him in this movement; I couldn't think of even one to utter.

"Are you…alright?" he finally asked, resting his hand on my stomach. I nodded, suddenly feeling a bit shy. He had seen me breathe and writhe on the bed in front of him, completely letting myself go….was it normal to want to hide after something like this took place? I wanted to crawl under the covers and….and what? I was still at a loss of what to say.

"You are….so wonderful….Estrella…" said, letting my name roll off his tongue. I grinned, sitting up on my elbows to survey the bed. I had kicked the covers completely off the edge in my fit of pleasure, and the sheets had rips in several places. I picked up a feather from the mattress beside us, glancing over my shoulder at the small bite in one of his pillows.

"I am sorry Collin," I said sheepishly, holding it up. He smiled, picking another feather from my hair.

"It was worth it. Ya know?" He smiled at me, his warm brown eyes crinkling at the edges the way I liked. I knew his smile was genuine when I saw the lines there on his face.

I shook my head in embarrassment, trying not to giggle. If he loved me and I loved him, what harm was there in speaking my mind? Collin would understand.

"You make me feel very good, but I….I do not know what to say now," I admitted.

He shook his head, sitting up in the bed. "I don't uh…I don't know either," he admitted, pulling his towel tighter around his torso. I watched his muscular stomach and sides flex as he hunched over on the bed, glancing over his shoulder at me. His hair was half dry by now, the shaggy ends curling slightly. The early morning light crept in through the window overlooking the lake, and I felt my breath catch in my throat.

I had never seen anything to beautiful.

"What?" he asked, reaching for my hand. I sat up beside him, brushing my wild, unkempt hair away from my face.

"You…you are so beautiful in my eyes."

He chuckled, making me frown. I was always saying the wrong thing at the wrong time!

"What silly thing did I say now?"

He shook his head, wrapping his arm around me. He kissed my temple and rested his cheek against the top of my head in a tight embrace.

"You just say the best things, that's all."

I hugged him back, careful to not squeeze too tight. He sighed, kissing me again on my forehead.

"What are you thinking this moment?" I wondered aloud, looking up at him. He reached over, brushing another feather from my hair as he smiled softly to himself.

"I'm thinking…..I'm wondering, actually….how I could love someone so much that I just met. It doesn't seem possible, but….I'd do anything for you. You know that? Anything."

Nodding, I tried not to smile like a fool at his soft, sincere words.

"I do not want anything but to stay here, in this place. With you."

"Really?" he asked, his voice barely a whisper. His eyes looked damp for a moment, as if tears were threatening to spill over. He blinked a few times, clearing the misty look, but still kept a look of such emotion on his features it made me swallow the lump in my throat.

"Yes. And…."

"And?"

"And I would not complain if we erm…did what we just did again sometime. I might ask that of you," I giggled, looking away.

"Oh Estrella," he laughed, pulling me back against his chest. "If you ask, then I just might have to do it."

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Awww, our little imprints are venturing into new territory : ) I hope you liked Estrella's chapter - I do try to write how she thinks in my mind. I can hear her talking in my head and she's got this cute, small little voice and she's always saying and doing the kookiest things because she simply doesn't know any better. Poor girl just wants to get herself some! ; )

Please review!


	14. Chapter 13: All Pieces Fit

**Chapter 13: All Pieces Fit**

**Collin**

We spent the next few days growing even closer than we already were. For her, it was bliss - I could feel it. Her feelings of excitement and happiness seemed to reverberate back to me and I loved every second of seeing her like that. However, for me it was bliss mixed with agony as I fought to control myself and not give in to my animalistic urges to pounce on her.

I wanted her.

Badly.

Even if she was just a normal girl on the street, she would have made me drool as she walked by. A girl like Estrella was impossible not to stare at. But the fact that she was drop dead gorgeous and also happened to be my imprint made me want tie her to my bed and worship her for days.

However, I knew that such a thing was probably not acceptable behavior. I knew that I would have to introduce my imprint to the world around us. It wasn't fair for me to keep her holed up in my dad's old fishing cabin - I wanted her to have a chance to live and experience a real life.

I wasn't sure how she would react in the presence of a lot of humans, so we took baby steps introducing Estrella into the world around us. I lived in the country, so the scent of human blood was never usually around. I expected it to be a bit of a shock when we did go into a place where she would be surrounded by it. I guessed that she probably didn't run into a lot of humans in the rural jungles where she hailed from, so I had no idea if she would be a bloodthirsty around humans or not.

My first choice of an outing with humans present was to the diner in Forks. I knew it wouldn't be crowded, and the scent of frying grease would most likely overpower the scent of blood. Estrella seemed like she was in control of herself, but I didn't want to be horribly wrong about my assumption.

Baby steps.

She stepped inside the diner, her green eyes wide at first. I grabbed her hand as a few old men sitting at the counter turned our way. They stared at my leggy, model-like imprint for a few moments, then returned to their coffee.

"Are you okay?" I asked quietly. She squeezed my hand and nodded, her eyes darting around the small restaurant.

"So good…." she muttered, her eyes looking a little wild. I tightened my grip on her as I heard her swallow what was surely venom. Her heart began to pound a little faster in excitement, and I could feel her muscles tense.

"Estrella…" I warned, looking around as discretely as I could, "Do we need to leave?"

I panicked.

All at once my mind took off with me, my imagination conjuring up images of my imprint as she tore the diner to shreds, wasting not a single drop of human blood., bodies strewn in her wake, the smell of death mixing with the smell of fried food. My stomach lurched as I felt my own heart start to pound wildly.

"Estrella…"

"It smells so good," she whispered again, her eyes hopeful and bright. Licking her lips, she glanced around the room and then finally at me.

I was ready to yank her away, sparing the lives of the innocents around us. I would forgive her for her bloodbath of course, but we would have to run…

Her next words jerked me from my bloody thoughts.

"I love smell of bacon!" she exclaimed, turning to me with a happy smile.

I gaped at her.

"Uh…w-what?"

"Bacon?" she asked. "You cook me bacon last week. It is same smell here, no?"

My shoulders slumped with relief as I realized my imprint was talking about the smell of _bacon. _Not blood. Bacon.

"You….you're okay then? With the humans?" I whispered, leading her to a small table in the corner.

"What? Oh…no, Collin, the men there smell like the dead fish!"

I snorted a little, sitting down with a relieved thump. This girl was constantly surprising me.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

A few days later, Estrella looked up at me from her newly found cereal and cocked her head to the side as she prepared to ask me a question.

She asked a lot of questions.

I braced myself, taking a sip of my morning coffee as I waited to hear what she was going to ask. She always seemed to ask the doozies in the morning.

"Collin, you say you have family here. Where are they?"

I choked on my coffee a little, swallowing the bitter liquid.

"Why?"

She shrugged, looking back down at her Fruit Loops.

"I do not know, I….I do not have family, well….Nahuel and Isadora, but….I do not have parents. Where are your parents? Do you know who they are?" she asked hopefully.

"Um…well my dad uh…he is no longer…he died," I said finally, watching her face. I wasn't sure if she understood what that mean, but by the way she nodded she must have.

"And your mother?"

"She lives in Forks. With uh…with my step dad. And my little brothers and sisters."

"Do they miss you?"

I shook my head, laughing somewhat bitterly.

"No, no they don't. I….my mom didn't mean to have me, I think. I was….er, and accident. "

She gazed at me quizzically, not understanding what I meant.

I sighed, leaning on the kitchen counter across from her.

"Estrella…my mom isn't a very nice person. She doesn't care about anyone but herself, and she shows it. I moved on, and…..I decided that I'm better without her. Do you know what I mean?"

She nodded, her eyes flashing with recognition.

"Like my father?"

I nodded, knowing only a brief amount about Joham, the vampire who went around the jungle and impregnated innocent women with hybrid children. I tried not to grimace as I thought about the sickening pictures my mind conjured of such a thing.

"Yes, just like that," I replied.

She studied my face as I took another sip of coffee.

"They make you upset?"

I nodded grimly, avoided her eyes.

"Very."

She sighed, reaching across the counter to grab my hand.

"Then we do not need them. We only need each other. We will be happy," she said firmly.

I looked up at her, surprised at the determination in her eyes.

"You're right," I said finally, squeezing her hand back. "We don't need anyone who makes us unhappy."

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

The next morning, I yawned and stretched on the couch, listening to my back pop and creak in protest. My couch was nice, but it wasn't anything compared to my bed. That bed was the one thing I had spent some money on in my house; I never got to sleep in it for long, so when I did I always wanted it to feel wonderful. It was King sized, pillow top, and the best I could afford.

I missed it.

A soft, sweet scent hit my nostrils, and I smiled to myself as I wished I could go back to sleep. I was pretty sure I had been dreaming about Estrella. Sweet, lovely Estrella. I pictured us in my bed, a tangled mess of limbs as we rolled around together a few mornings ago. That encounter with her after my shower had haunted me ever since. I could practically feel the silky material of something black and skimpy against my skin….

"Collin?"

My eyes flew open.

There was Estrella, sitting on the coffee table across from me, staring at me with a curious gaze. I shot up like a bullet, haphazardly yanking the blankets across my lap to hide my raging erection. I felt blood rush to my cheeks and the tips of my ears as I avoided her gaze.

Even though we had fooled around just the other morning, the shock of seeing her sitting and staring at me as I had a wet dream about her was another thing. I felt like a horny teenage boy who was beating off to the poster of a supermodel in his bedroom.

Only this supermodel was sitting on my coffee table across from me, watching me sleep.

"You are awake now?"

I nodded, running my hand awkwardly through my hair. Glancing up, I met her sea-green eyes and felt instantly better as she smiled warmly at me. The early morning light pouring through the windows gave her tan, slightly shimmery skin a surreal glow.

"Do umm…do you want to hunt today?" I asked. We hadn't hunted since we had been in Forks, and I knew from Jake's advice about hybrids that she would most likely be thirsty.

She nodded nonchalantly, giving me a small smile. She moved slowly from the coffee table, crawling up the couch towards me. I leaned back, slightly surprised at her sudden attack. _Mornings must make my imprint horny, _I thought with a smirk. I fell back against the pillow as she crawled up my body, her gaze suddenly predatory.

"I wish to hunt…mmm…something else this morning," she purred, lowering herself on top of me. I groaned as her weight settled against me, causing my body to stiffen and throb with need.

Living with this girl was both pleasure and pain.

She exhaled above me, her Crest-scented breath blowing on my face. I squeezed my eyes shut as I fought the urge to absolutely pounce on her.

Call me crazy, but I wanted our first time to be out of love - not insane need. I knew that I would love her for the rest of my existence, and I didn't want her to remember me as being rushed or too frantic. I wanted to show her how much I loved her.

But as she lowered her face to mine in a sweet good morning kiss, I wondered how much longer I could hold on. She was tempting me; _teasing _me. I didn't want to resist - every cell in my body was _begging_ for me to do the opposite. But did I chance it now, after just a few short months together? And only a few weeks together at my house?

Estrella pressed her lips against mine, her tongue seeking immediate entrance. I welcomed it, tasting the minty toothpaste that was still lingering on her mouth. She wound her hands around me, her body melting against mine in an almost effortless dance. We fit together so perfectly it made me ache.

We broke apart, my eyes searching hers as I tried to get the room to stop spinning. She always seemed to make the room spin.

"Hunt?" I gently reminded her. I watched her swallow, wincing slightly at what I'm sure was her thirst burning in her throat.

"Yes," she agreed with a little laugh. She sprang off me with vampire speed, running to my bedroom. She emerged a few minutes later in tight jeans, a long sleeved shirt, and a pair of hiking boots. Her hair was down and wild, hanging around her cherubic face, and I felt myself lose my breath a little as I stared at her. She was so beautiful with out even trying.

"Coming?" she asked, giving me an excited smile.

"Oh, um, sure," I agreed. "Can I phase for awhile?"

She nodded, giving me another happy smile. "Wolf time?"

I laughed, pulling on a pair of ripped khaki shorts over my boxers.

"Yeah…wolf, time," I laughed, "besides - it's the only way I can keep up with you!"

She nodded, opening the door to my house and bounding off the front porch. I trotted after her, nodding her forward as she moved out onto the lawn. With a quick little hop, she propelled herself gracefully into one of the ancient pine trees lining the driveway of my dad's old fishing cabin. She disappeared in the thick branches for a second, emerging close to the top. I watched from below as she scanned the rolling hills surrounding us, her eyes ignoring the thick storm clouds that hung on the horizon.

I walked forward, only slightly surprised when she landed with a soft thump in front of me. Straightening out her tall frame, she nodded west.

"We go this way?"

I nodded, wondering in the back of my mind what she had caught the scent of. I rarely paid attention to the other animals that lived in the forest when I was in wolf form; they caught the smell of us and usually hightailed it out of there.

"Let me phase," I said, running into the bushes. She smirked and turned away, waiting while I changed forms. Shedding my clothes, it only took a split second before my body let itself be flooded with heat and I felt the wolf take over. I hit the ground on all fours, the feeling of being in wolf form a bit therapeutic for my body.

As a wolf, I had more control.

I could think straight.

I listened carefully, hearing nothing but the sound of a few of my pack mates patrolling the area, but they were far from where I estimated Estrella would want to hunt. Satisfied that we would have at least some privacy, I trotted over to where she was waiting. Nudging her hand with my nose, she laughed softly and scratched behind my ear. I groaned at the feeling of her sharp nails against my fur, enjoying the shivers of pleasure as they rolled down my spine.

"Come," she said lightly. "I am thirsty."

With a mischievous grin, she bounded away from me. I sprang after her into the forest, excited for what the day might bring. I ran behind her as I watched her leap and frolic through the woods, varying between running and then running at _vampire_ speed. When I would catch up to her she would laugh and spring up into a tree, kicking off of it and flying across the path through the woods. Her laugher was like bells as she moved like a gazelle through the mossy boughs.

When we were far enough into the woods, she slowed her pace. I sensed she was getting closer to where she wanted to be now, so I slowed my gait to match. I watched as she quieted down, silencing her happy laughs and making her footfalls lighter against the muddy earth. She moved through the trees like a graceful dart.

A light rain began to fall as we ran through the woods, the sound of the rain hitting the dried leaves echoing slightly. I could hear her heartbeat accelerate as we reached the tree line of a small meadow. As we came to a halt I realized the meadow was empty. Estrella gave a little disappointed squeak and stomped her foot.

I nudged her hand with my nose and glanced up at the sky where the rain was falling more steadily. It rolled off my insulated fur, but I was worried about her getting cold and wet.

She held out her hand, glancing upwards at the cloudy sky.

"It will not hurt me," she said lightly, smiling as the droplets hit her palm. I grunted and moved past her, still not liking the idea of her getting drenched in the rain.

Would she let me help her hunt? I had been with her in Denali several times while the hybrids had hunted, but then Nahuel had always brought down an elk for them to all share.

_Could Estrella even catch her own food?_

She stood a moment, sniffing the air. I moved in beside her to help. She noticed what I was doing and patted my head softly.

"The deer have left," she mused, scanning the surrounding area. I too could smell their lingering scent. The smell of the herbivores smelled slightly like salad to me; appealing as a filler, but nothing to write home about.

Suddenly, something else hit the air. It was a different scent; something raw and more wild.

A carnivore.

Estrella was off with lightning speed, and I dug my heels into the earth and raced after her. Faster and faster we went, her long, sandy hair flying out behind her. I realized with an internal grimace that my imprint was definitely faster than I was as she propelled herself through the trees. She slid to a halt near a large boulder, peeking around the side.

I realized then what she had spotted.

Mountain lion.

It too was enjoying a meal; one of the elk we had probably been tracking earlier was on the ground in front of it, freshly slaughtered. Estrella stalked forward silently, her eyes narrowed and her heart racing.

_Oh no! Can she take a mountain lion? What if it hurts her? How quickly will she heal from that? What do I do? _

My mind screamed at me as I debated what to do. My debate ended as I watched her pounce, catching the large cat completely by surprise.

Turns out I didn't have much to worry about.

Estrella had the upper hand the entire struggle, which lasted about a whole thirty seconds. I was almost positive that most of that was for her sport and nothing else. They swiped and growled at each other for a few seconds before pouncing on each other and rolling on the ground. She quickly pinned it and snapped its neck, wasting no time in enjoying her kill. Not that I could blame her; the few times I had hunted as a wolf and eaten raw it was nothing short of thrilling. I could tell she was thirsty, and I wanted her to get what she needed from the hunt.

And it was hot.

I sat down on my back legs and waited patiently as she bent over the body of the great cat, delicately draining it. I had never seen vampires feeding up close; I was afraid that seeing the actual act of it would repulse me. This however, did not.

I'm not sure what I had pictured a feeding vampire to look like, but Estrella was far from scary. She pulled her hair sexily over one shoulder, drank until she was full, and sat back on her heels with a sigh. Tilting her head back, she closed her eyes and sighed in relief.

She must have been thirsty.

Standing up, she gave me a coy little smile and put her hand on her hip. I huffed air through my nose, watching her closely.

"You did not think I could handle this cat, did you?" she cheeked.

I shook my wolfy head no, following her with my eyes as she wiped her damp hair away from her face. Walking over to a small sapling, she gripped it with both hands and uprooted it with a small grunt. My eyes widened at this new display of strength; this was the first time I had seen her do something like that. She carefully picked up the body of the giant cat, placing it in the hole with care. I watched as she gently ran her fingertips over the face of the animal, closing its eyes. Then, she proceeded to cover it with dirt and replace the small tree. She arranged the leaves around the base as if nothing had happened and stood up to face me.

"Done," she announced proudly, standing back up.

I watched as she adjusted her clothes, pulling her wet hair away from her face. Glancing over her shoulder, she gave me a coy look before bounding away.

"Race!" she trilled, darting off.

I sprang after her, my paws hitting the ground as I followed my imprint into the woods. We ran and played, taking turns chasing each other around the wilderness in the rain. I would hide behind boulders, she would jump up into trees, but ultimately we always allowed the other to catch eventually.

This time, I was chasing her up the river bank, watching as she leaped in zig zags across the water. Each time she would jump a little higher and little further, making me run faster and faster. When I finally caught up to her, I could tell she wanted to be caught. With a giant leap I soared through the air, phasing back into human form. She saw me and slowed, allowing me to tackle her on the grassy bank. I gently pinned her to the grass, both of us laughing hysterically.

"I win," I said, hovering above her.

She glanced down, noticing that I was very much naked and smirked.

"I disagree," she laughed. I blushed, looking away with a soft laugh.

Estrella reached up, touching my cheek.

"I give the winner a kiss, yes?"

I shrugged, a little embarrassed but also wanting to feel her lips against mine. I lowered my mouth to hers, our lips joining effortlessly. She caressed my bottom lip with her tongue, making me groan and move closer to her. She opened her legs, inviting me to rest between them. Her hands pulled at my arms, trying to get me as close to her as she could. I kissed her deeper and deeper, my mind forgetting the boundaries I had set when dealing with her.

I wanted to be a gentleman - not a needy, hormone driven ass.

But _fuck _she felt good.

"Collin," she panted as I kissed down her neck.

"Yes?"

"Please….please do not stop…." she said, her voice light and breathy. Her hand reached between our bodies, grasping my aching hardness against her palm. I sucked in a sharp breath at the feeling of her hand against me, my need coiling in my stomach.

"Control," I muttered, pulling away from her. I rolled off her at lightning speed, yanking the sweatpants off my leg. I pulled them on as she laid on the grass, still breathing heavily and gazing up at the rainy sky.

"Collin?" she asked, sitting up with a confused frown. "What is wrong?"

Once dressed, I leaned forward, placing my hands on my knees as I fought to remain in control. I knew once I gave myself over to her there would be no stopping; I wanted her too badly for that.

She stood up, brushing off her damp clothes. I walked to the bank, gazing across the water as it twisted and turned through the forest. I knew I had disappointed her; I could _feel _it.

"Collin?" she asked again, touching my arm. I turned back around, giving her an apologetic look.

"I'm sorry," I said softly, reaching for her hand.

"Why…why have we stopped?"

I gulped as the million dollar question rang in my ears. Why had we stopped? She obviously didn't want to, so what was holding me back?

"You…you do not want to do this with me?"

I shook my head quickly, squeezing her hand.

"No! Of course I do, Estrella. I just….it's a big step and….and I don't want to hurt you."

"You will not hurt me Collin," she said softly, stepping closer. She rested her head on my bare shoulder, glancing up at me with hopeful eyes. "I want to be with you that way. I want to…experience all new things with you."

"How are you so sure?"

"How are you not sure?" she countered back.

Estrella looked up at me, raising her hand to run it through my shaggy hair. She inhaled as her eyes scanned my face, as if she was memorizing my features.

"It's not about you. It's just…I want to make sure everything is…is perfect for you."

She exhaled in frustration, cupping my cheek in her hand.

"Don't you see?" she asked. "_You_ are perfect to me. Everything about you is perfect to me. What you do…." she breathed, wrapping her arm around my waist.. "You make me very happy."

Slowly, she leaned forward and placed her lips against mine in a searing kiss. Firmer and firmer she pressed, her tongue darting out to brush against my lips. I groaned, feeling my pants begin to tighten. Estrella moaned as she placed another passionate kiss against my all to eager mouth.

I moved my lips to her neck, suddenly needing to taste every inch of her. If she wanted me, then as my imprint there was no way I could deny her. Estrella pushed me gently, and I found myself back on the ground. Wasting no time, she playfully pounced on me before leaning down to give me another deep, lingering kiss. She shifted her weight, leaning to whisper in my ear.

"I want you."

And she did; I could feel her body reacting to me as we kissed and groped one another. The need to join my body with hers was suddenly overwhelming as I caught her aroused scent. My head swam with ideas of things I wanted to do to that woman, and none of them involved clothes of any kind. I moved over onto my side so that I could pull at her clothes, hoping she would want to take them off as much as I wanted her to _take _them off.

She got the hint. Reaching out, she gently pushed me back as she stood up. I followed, unsure of what she wanted me to do.

"I do it," she whispered suggestively, and before I could blink she had become a blur. Her shirt flew to the found, followed by her jeans, her boots and socks, and soon she stood in front of me in the single most beautiful thing I had ever seen on a woman; a matching black bra and panty set.

I flew at her.

Pinning her against the closest tree, she panted as my chest pressed against hers. Using the leverage she had against the tree, she leaned back and hitched one leg around my bare waist. I grabbed it and the other one, hoisting her up so that her legs were around my waist and her back was against the tree. Her foot pushed at the waistline of my pants, inching them down around my hips. I shoved them down with a free hand, kicking them off into the bushes. Without much thought, I ground my hips forward into her pelvis, the soft skin of her lower abdomen greeting me. Sweet torture. She gasped and closed her eyes.

"Collin…yes," she breathed. Diving forward, I sucked at the soft skin of her neck, my hands clutching at her sides. I pushed her against the tree as I ran one hand down her side, cupping her breast through the black bra. The tree groaned, and for a second I panicked.

"Estrella?" I asked, looking up.

She giggled, reaching forward to clutch the bra between her breasts. With a quick flick of her wrist, the material split and she tossed it to the ground. A challenging smile graced her lips as I stared forward at her exposed chest. My imagination hadn't done her breasts justice. I kissed down her collar bone, my hands grasping wildly at her bottom as I held her against the tree. When I found her pert nipple and took it into my mouth, I almost rejoiced out loud as I felt her arch against the tree. Her hands tightened almost painfully against my bare arms, but it didn't bother me.

It only fueled me more.

"I can't…please Collin…" she panted as I moved to the other side. Lightly scraping her with my teeth, I chuckled as she mewled in pleasure again.

I was made to please this girl.

"Please tell me to stop," I said between kisses.

"No, never stop."

Her pants and little moans did nothing to calm me; instead they pushed me further.

"Touch me," she pleaded, pulling away to look into my eyes. I nodded, slipping my hand down between our bodies. Pushing her black underwear aside, I touched her as softly as my clumsy hand would allow. Running my middle finger over her silky folds made her close her eyes and groan quietly to herself.

"Oh…"

I ran my thumb over her womanly bud, hoping it would please her. By the way her back arched and her fingernails sunk into my shoulder, I could tell it did.

"Estrella, I…I need you," I muttered, leaning forward. I was struggling to hold her against the tree and please her at the same time. I highly doubted that dropping her would add to our romantic moment.

"Please, yes," she whispered, throwing her head back. I stopped my movements, lowering her to the ground. She sprawled out on the moss at our feet, her tan body beckoning to me. I practically fell on top of her, entangling myself in her arms once more.

My body was screaming for release, but I knew I couldn't rush this. I would never forgive myself if I did. I felt her hips shift to align with my aching hard member, and my heart began to pound.

This was really happening.

Us, together -finally.

She looked up at me, her bright eyes pleading. Running her hand down my arm, she gave it a reassuring squeeze.

"We have love," she whispered up to me. "Now this, we need too."

Her clumsy words solidified my decision. Nervousness to the wayside, I pushed my body against hers and quickly lost myself in the sheer feeling of making love to my imprint. My whole body sang with relief as I felt myself enter her for the first time. Hot, melting bliss. Opening my eyes, I forced myself to realize what was happening and focus on her as I slowly pushed myself into her. I felt her tense at first, her long body shaking slightly.

"It's okay, I'll stop, I'll stop," I whispered, letting my head fall to her chest. She wrapped her leg around mine, rubbing her foot up and down my calf.

"No, don't stop…"

I could tell she was struggling a bit with the pain and pleasure; she looked conflicted as I watched her face.

"But…am I hurting you?"

"So much….feeling," she breathed, kissing my cheek. I watched her eyes flutter open slightly to meet mine. "Not hurt."

"You promise?"

"Yes…yes please, just…continue," she begged, letting her head fall back against the grass. The rain droplet shitting my back did little to sober me as I blissfully connected my body with hers.

_So this is what all the guys have been talking about….sex with an imprint. Oh sweet Lord…._

I watched her face as I moved within her, pushing past the barrier I knew would be there. She winced only slightly before she began to move her hips against mine. Her long legs wrapped around mine, pulling me closer to her. The feeling of her silky walls clenching against me were enough to make me want to never stop. So this was what I had been missing all these years? I was insane with joy as I plunged in and out of her, her soft pants giving me the permission I needed.

"So good," I breathed against her neck. Kissing the soft skin there, I could taste the sweetness that seemed to radiate off of her. The further I dragged my lips, the breathier she got. I lowered my head, worshiping the most beautiful pair of breasts I had ever seen. She cried out in pleasure, her hands gripping my backside. I could feel her nails digging into my flesh, but I didn't mind.

It felt _good_.

We moved together under the rain, a tangle mess of arms and legs as we gave into everything we had been wanting for so long. Her happiness seemed to soak through her skin and into mine and it made feel whole. Complete.

"I love you so much. Please….don't ever leave me," I whispered. She shook her head, reaching up to brush some hair out of my eyes.

"Love me like I love you, and I will never leave."

X0x0x0x0x0x0x

Up next is the final chapter. I hope you have enjoyed Collin and Estrella's story! Thank you for all the love - please review!


	15. Chapter 14: After The Storm

**Chapter 14: After The Storm**

Things were different after that day in the meadow.

Not bad different…._good _different.

When we returned home from our hunting trip, she stopped on the porch as I phased back into human form in the bushes nearby. I walked back up to her, unable to resist her urge to pull her into my arms again. The new found closeness we had shared was something I had been craving for months and I wanted _more_ of it.

"Collin….I am dirty," she protested, picking a leaf out of her hair. I laughed into her neck, kissing her soft skin.

"Then maybe we should clean up?"

She looked at me quizzically as we walked back into my cabin. I pulled her into the bathroom and started the shower, my body already beginning to coil with excitement.

"We shower…together?"

I studied her face carefully, watching for signs of doubt or fear. Instead, a slow smile spread over her face as the steam began to fill the room.

"Is this okay?" I asked tentatively, watching her reaction.

"I like this idea," she said softly, pulling a twig from my shaggy hair.

I laughed as we both reached for each others clothes at the same moment. We fumbled on buttons and zippers as we stopped to kiss and giggle. I couldn't help acting like a fool in love - I _was_. When the last article of clothing hit the floor, I wasted no time picking her up and placing her in the shower with me. I closed the door with a chuckle and turned back to Estrella.

"You're sure? I asked.

"Is this….a thing that people do?"

I laughed, biting my lip as I tried to keep my eyes on hers and not let them trail down her body.

"Sometimes they do. If they're lucky."

"I see," she agreed, stepping under the spray.

Now I couldn't help myself.

Watching the water slide down her tan, soft curves made me instantly hard. I was drawn to her body like a moth to a flame, and it was no use hiding it. My hands flew to her sides, unable to resist the view of her long, lean body as the hot water slid down it. She laughed and did the same to me, making me groan and pull her against me. She squeaked slightly as she usually did when I did something new to her, but didn't protest. The last thing I consciously remembered was seeing her beautiful, ocean colored eyes fall closed as she leaned in to kiss me.

I poured every ounce of emotion possible into kissing her. She just felt so damn _good_. Everything about her made me happy; I never wanted her to leave my side. After knowing what it felt like to love this girl, it would do nothing short of break my heart to have her leave me.

She sensed my need and hiked her leg around my waist, pressing herself tighter against my already willing body.

"You're sure?" I asked, breaking away breathlessly. My sharp eyes strained against the steam of the tiny shower, watching her every move. She nodded at me, leaning her head back against the shower wall.

Her nails dug into my back as I slid myself into her waiting heat, my eyes squeezing shut at the sensation it gave me. She gasped as I sunk into her, her body clenching around mine. As I began to slide in and out, I realized that having a tall imprint really worked in my favor. I hadn't had sex in a shower before, but I guessed it would be a lot more difficult with a short girl. I let my head fall back in exultation as I set a steady yet wonderfully tortuous pace under the hot water. I lowered my eyes, watching as my thrusts made her small yet perfect breasts shake slightly. My mouth watered at the mere sight of her in front of me, egging me on.

Keeping one hand on her leg that was wrapped around my waist, I cupped her flushed cheek. She smiled, turning her head to kiss my palm. I bit my lip to keep from getting carried away from just watching her. Keeping my endurance with this girl would be a challenge - just the sight of her chest rising and falling in time with my thrusts was enough to make me climax. I ran my hand down her warm chest, my fingers sliding against her wet skin. She moaned as I cupped one of her breasts, feeling the soft skin underneath my fingertips. I flicked my thump over her nipple, making her moan and squeeze her eyes shut. Her head fell backwards again as I resumed my pace.

_Fuck this girl was amazing._

I let a curse word slip, making her open her eyes and smirk at me. She bit her lip and gave me a desperate, soulful gaze as I pressed her against the shower wall. Her heel dug into my backside as I fought to keep my concentration. I wanted this to last. Estrella gripped my shoulders and sighed, her small grunts and noises only serving as fuel.

_Heaven. _

I think we were both slightly pruny before we even thought to break out the soap. We took turns washing each other's hair and bodies after that, doing the exploring that we had only dabbled in before today.

I had a feeling that joint showers would be a common thing after that day.

After our shower, I dressed in sweats as she opted for my old, rarely used bathrobe. We curled up on the couch together, watching the rain as it hit the lake below.

"Shower is very fun," she laughed, resting her damp head on my shoulder. I wrapped my arm around her and pulled her close, enjoying the feel of her body against mine. I think we were both a little tired. We had more than one round in the shower, and I was guessing that our night wasn't over since she requested that I sleep in my bed with her.

_Finally. _

"Yeah, I think that's the best shower I've had," I agreed with a laugh, my eyes going a little wide. She giggled, curling into my side. No, showering had never been quite _that_ fun before.

"We are very clean," she joked, holding out her still pruny hand. I laughed at her sweet antics, mussing her still-damp hair slightly.

"I love having you here. You make…you make everything better, Estrella."

"Yes….Forks is much better than home. I will stay. Stay here with you," she said, leaning over to peck my cheek.

"Is Forks really better than the jungle?"

She nodded, her eyes wide. "Oh yes. Much better. Home is…home is pretty, but…." she shrugged.

"Can you take me there sometime? I've barely ever left Washington."

She nodded brightly, patting my arm. "We will visit the jungle someday, yes. I show you how I can hunt the…the…um…the jagers."

"You mean 'jaguars'?" I laughed.

She nodded, giggling. "Oh yes, the jaguars I meant. I have not spent much time reading the dictionary since I stay here with you. You ah…take up much of my time."

"Good," I laughed, kissing the side of her head. "You can call them whatever you want. I'd listen to you talk all day. You're too freakin' cute."

"Oh Collin, my English is not cute! I speak horrible."

"Estrella," I laughed, "You learned English in like, a week. That's some sort of record."

"I am half vampire though. I should learn to speak it much faster than humans."

"Believe me, I have friends who don't even speak as well as you do."

She laughed, shaking her head at me.

"I love you, don't ever change. I like the way you talk," I said, pulling her tighter against my chest. She hugged me back, pressing her cheek to my neck.

"I love you too, Collin," she replied simply, pressing her lips against my neck. I shivered slightly at her touch, gazing out at the lake. Her soft, simple words touched my heart and made my entire body feel warm and light. I shuddered as I thought about what my life was like before her.

I never wanted to go back to that life.

"So you're really staying here with me?"

"Yes, if you will let me."

"Of course!" I laughed. "I think I would die if you left."

"Then I must not leave," she said softly. I leaned forward, pressing my lips against hers. She kissed me back softly, her lips lingering on mine for a few short moments.

"Never," she repeated. "But Collin, I want to meet your family. I want to see where you come from."

I glanced sideways at her, unsure of how to answer that. She wanted to meet my family? I had _never _introduced a girl to my parents before - especially not one like Estrella.

I had left home when I was barely fifteen and had rarely looked back since. I had bounced between Sam and Emily's, Billy's, and occasionally the couches of a few of the older guys in the pack. The last time I had seen my mother, she has shoved the papers for my current home at me claiming that I could 'take the shit-hole off her hands.' So, I wasn't really too happy to introduce Estrella to my family or lack thereof. My stomach twisted as I tried to explain this to her.

"If you want to. It's not….it's not pretty, Estrella. My mom doesn't like me too much."

Estrella made a sound of distaste in the back of her throat, reaching over to cup my cheek with her hand. I leaned into instantly, using her touch to soothe myself.

"Who could not love you?"

I snorted, leaning away.

"My mother, apparently."

She paused, glancing out at the rain as it rolled down the picture window in front of us. A thoughtful look crossed her face as she turned back to look at me.

"Any person who has told you that you are no good Collin…then, they are no better."

I was taken back by her statement. How could this girl that barely spoke English say things that touched so close? Did she already know me that well?

I scooted closer to her, Estrella melting easily into my arms. She rested her head on my chest as I squeezed her against me, my heart swelling with content.

"I needed that," I said, resting my lips against her damp hair. "You always know what to say."

She laughed softly, hugging me back.

"Apart we are two broken pieces. Together we will be whole. It might take time to make cracks go away."

Now it was my turn to laugh - I kissed her head and continued to hold her close.

"Yeah, we have a few cracks still. But we'll make them to away. As long as we're together."

* * *

The next day we loaded into my old truck, Estrella smiling brightly as usual. Everything was just so new and exciting to her that I almost felt like I had been taking advantage of my world by not noticing them. Things that I ignored _thrilled _Estrella.

"I love to see you do the driving," she chattered, sitting still as I showed her how to buckle her seat belt. She clapped her hands together in excitement as the engine roared to life, bouncing slightly on the pleather seat.

"I can teach you sometime," I offered, glancing at her sideways. Estrella gave me a look of pure adoration as we pulled out onto the main road. She was quiet the rest of the way, watching as the scenery flashed by. When we pulled up at my mother's little white house on the edge of town, she bounced out excitedly as I grimaced.

I knew this wouldn't go well.

"This won't be that fun," I reminded her, guiding her up the steps. She walked up to the front door, waiting expectantly for me to knock.

When the door opened, I looked down at the child in the doorway and scanned my mind for his name.

"Colton?" I asked tentatively. The small boy, who couldn't have been more than five or six, nodded in recognition. He was only a baby the last time I had seen my mother.

"Is momma home?"

He nodded and scampered away. Estrella moved to go after him, but I gently pulled her back. She pressed her lips together and waited patiently, her eyes going a little wide when my mother opened the door.

"Collin?"

I instinctively leaned in front of Estrella, not ready to expose to her my mother just yet. I didn't know how this would go.

I tried not to wince as I took in the sight of mother, standing in the doorway reeking of cigarettes and cheap laundry detergent. Years of smoking and alcohol abuse had left heavy lines in her face, her eyes sunken in and glassy. She eyed me in the doorway, her expression unreadable. Swallowing, I nodded. I had expected her to look bad, but not this bad.

"What do you need?"

I bit back a snide comment and shifted my weight from one foot to the other.

"Can we come in?" I asked, leaning to the side. Her eyes moved to Estrella, who stood behind me and was impatiently peeking over my shoulder. My mother's eyes went a little wide as she realized she had company. Shuffling to the side, we walked into her tiny house. I cringed at what my imprint must be thinking at the small, cluttered mess of a home I had grown up in. In all my joy of finding Estrella I had never really pictured this part of things.

We sat down at the kitchen table, Estrella following my lead. She was silent, her eyes wide and darting around the room. I uneasily settled into the chair, watching as my mom cleaned out her ashtray and placed it on the table.

Estrella reached for my hand under the table, squeezing it tightly in her own as if to say, _it's okay._

If she ever left me, I was certain I would happily toss myself off a cliff.

"So," she started, sitting down, "What brings you back to my neck of the woods?"

"I just wanted to say hello…been awhile," I muttered.

My mom eyed Estrella, shifting uneasily in her seat. "Thought you'd forgotten where you come from."

I was silent for a moment, watching her watch me. I swallowed back another snarky remark and looked over at Estrella. She and my mother were staring at each other with unreadable expressions. I swallowed, realizing that I would probably have to make some introductions.

"This is my….this is Estrella," I offered, glancing at my mother.

"Nice to meet ya," she responded, her tone conveying the opposite.

Estrella nodded politely, flashing her white teeth.

"It is so nice to know you," she offered back, and I could tell she was trying her best to not show her accent.

"_You're_ not from around here," my mother stated.

Estrella shook her head, but thankfully remained quiet. My mother shifted her gaze to me, her eyes turning accusatory.

"So….she pregnant?"

I jumped in my chair, my eyes going wide.

"What? No!" I gasped, glancing at Estrella, who looked confused. "No she's not pregnant! What makes you think that?"

"Well, ain't seen ya in years. Figured you must'ad needed money for something," she replied.

I rolled my eyes and stifled a growl.

"No, I don't need anything," I replied quietly, dropping my eyes.

Estrella squeezed my hand, giving me a look. "Bathroom?"

I nodded towards the back hall, watching her disappear towards the bathroom. I turned back to my mother and glared.

"Could you be nice?"

"Well I had to know why you come back. Strange is all."

"She wanted to meet you."

"Where's she from now?"

"No here. She's not local."

"How'd you meet?"

"What difference does it make?"

"Where you been?"

I stopped at this question, unsure of how to answer her. My mother didn't know my big secret; for all she knew, I did disappear. I saw her every once in awhile, however…she never cared to know where I was or what I had been doing.

"Not like you care."

"You may be grown, but I'm still your momma and I'm askin a question!"

"I've been around, what do you care?"

She stopped, leaning back in her chair, silent for a moment. Her eyes drifted over my body, down my arm, and fixated on the pack's tattoo that was peeking out from my t-shirt sleeve. I shifted uncomfortably.

"Them stories is true, ain't they?"

I stopped, my stomach twisting nervously at her question. I had to play it cool and call her bluff, I reminded myself.

"I don't know what you're referring to."

She smiled at me as if she had caught me my hand in the cookie jar. Leaning forward, I winced at her smoky breath and tried to keep my poker face in tact.

"You're Billy Black's nephew. I know you got some of it boy."

I looked away, worried that my panic would be readable through my eyes.

"You're gonna sit here and deny it? I know it. Too many funny things happen in this town for them not to be true. You're one of them, ain't ya?"

Uneasiness settled over me as I debated what to tell my mom. I couldn't physically tell her what I was; the gag order was still in effect in regards to our secret. However, I couldn't really deny it either.

I remained still, waiting to see what she would do. Instead of saying anything, she nodded once as if in affirmation.

She knew.

"Well…that's that then. So that's your what….don't tell me that's your wife?"

"No. She's just my….girlfriend."

I watched my mom swallow, the doubt evident on her face.

"I heard stories about….about what you are. All the legends…they're true, aren't they?"

I shook my head, avoiding looking her directly in the eye.

"Why are you here?" she finally asked.

"Mom, I just wanted to come by and say hello. Estrella wanted to…..to meet you. See where I came from. Just a part of my life, that's all. I don't need anything."

"Money?"

"No."

"Cuz I ain't got any. Curt run off with all the last of it. Gambled….No good, that one."

"Is that the name of the latest one?"

She chuckled for a second, the laugh turning into a violent cough. "Yeah, he's the last one," she confirmed. I never could keep track of all her boyfriends.

I looked at the clock, wondering if she had been drinking yet today. It wasn't even noon, but I could smell the stench of stale beer in the air. It was no surprise men took advantage of my mother - weakness and vulnerability practically seeped through her pores.

"I don't need anything, mom. Estrella is….important. She wanted to know everything about me, and…and I wanted to let her. You're a part of that."

My mom snorted in the back of her throat, reaching for her pack of cigarettes. I winced as my sensitive nostrils took in the second hand smoke, cringing at the smell as it burned through my lungs.

"That girl is pretty. She a model or something? You with her for her looks? Or better yet…her money?"

I shook my head and tried not to curse at her in disgust.

"No, ma. She's got less than me."

"Don't her take you for a fool!"

"Mom….trust me. That's not why she's with me."

"Then why is she?"

I sat up taller, biting back a growl. The mere thought that I was related to the woman in front of me made my stomach turn.

"She doesn't need anything from me. She wants to be with me. And I want to be with her. Neither one of us needs to take anything from the other. We give willingly. That's how decent people do it. Guess you wouldn't know anything about that though?"

I could hear her grinding her teeth as she thought of a retort. Instead she shook her head at me and stood up. I watched as she shuffled to the kitchen counter, opening a junk drawer. She pulled from it a worn envelope, tossing it on the table in front of me.

"There's something I have for you," she admitted, uneasiness lacing her voice.

Estrella emerged from the hallway, wide eyed and cautious. She sat down beside me, her gaze shifting between the envelope and my mom.

"What is it?"

"Paper from the bank I got after your father passed. You have to go and….well, you're the only one that can open the dang box. Went down there and they told me I couldn't do it! Stupid bitches down there at that bank, think they're so good…"

I tore open the paper, quickly scanning its contents. It was a letter from a banker in Forks, stating that I alone had access to a safety deposit box that was located there. I would have to show my ID and they would let me have whatever was inside of it. I bit back a disgusted comment as I thought of what had probably happened when my mother had demanded it be opened.

"Thanks," I offered, tucking it into my pocket.

"No telling. Wouldn't count on much. Your father never was one to look after us."

"He dropped over dead before he had much of a chance. I see you've moved on though."

"You watch your mouth in my house boy!"

I shook my head at her and stood up abruptly, glancing at Estrella. I nodded at her, and she was standing before I could blink. It was most likely too fast of a motion to look normal, but that was the least of my worries at that moment. I was done here; for good.

I knew now that my family had nothing left to offer me. Or what was left of my family.

I was alone.

Grabbing her hand, we left the house without looking back. Once helping Estrella inside, I slammed the door to my truck shut and sat in the drivers seat, panting. My skin crawled; I wanted to rip it off. No, I wanted to phase. I wanted to phase and tear the whole town of La Push apart. I wanted to tear _her _apart. Some mother. I felt myself begin to shake as I saw red, my mind unable to pry itself from thoughts of my white trash mother and her blatant disregard for me.

A soft touch on my arm made me pause.

I turned, meeting Estrella's eyes. My body felt like a bucket of soothing ice water had been dumped over it. My skin stopped crawling the moment her skin touched mine, and I felt my heart calm itself and stop it's frantic pounding in my chest. I looked over to see a look of concern decorating her delicate features.

"I'm okay," I assured her. "Don't…don't be scared. I'd never hurt you."

"I know that," she said quickly. "Are you angry?"

"She's not worth my anger."

She didn't look convinced.

"We do not need her," she stated simply. "Unless you want her in your life?"

"No," I spat, turning onto the main road of Forks. "I could never see her again and I'd be happy."

"I see now."

"Yeah?"

"Mmmhm….she is not a person I want to spend time with. She doesn't see you the way you should be seen, Collin. You are beautiful inside and out and she does not see this in you."

I snorted, shaking my head as I pulled onto the square where the bank was located. I was more than curious to see what my father had left me - I knew he didn't have much. He had already left me the fishing cabin that I used as my house and I honestly wasn't expecting mush else than that. I was the only child he had with my mother; my other siblings were only half siblings.

Once inside, I presented my ID and the clerk gave me the key to the safety deposit box. As I stood in front of the number assigned to me on the wall, I was hit by a startling thought. This was _it. _This was the last thing I would ever know of my father. I was cutting my mother out of my life, and he was dead and gone. It was a sobering thought.

Except for my pack and Estrella, I was alone.

Estrella waited patiently beside me, her eyes darting around the tiny room as I fiddled with the small box and key. Flipping it open, I balked a little at the contents. Inside was a roll of hundred dollar bills tightly wound within a rubber band. Underneath that was a small, black velvet jewelry bag that I didn't recognize. Setting the box down, I opened the bag and out slid a woman's bracelet - a cuff, actually- and I definitely didn't recognize it.

"Your mothers?" Estrella wondered out loud.

"No….I mean, if it was I don't remember her ever having it. It's old….and Quileute," I realized, observing the patterns etched into the silver. Vibrant red and turquoise stones were placed into the intricate woven design, making it quite pretty. I knew it couldn't be anything my mother would have owned for long - it would have been pawned long ago if it had.

"It's yours," I said, handing it to Estrella. She looked shocked, her eyes wide as I showed her how to squeeze it on her wrist. She smiled in awe at the silver as she observed how it looked against her skin. I tucked the money into my pocket, vowing to do something special for Estrella with it. She deserved it for being such a trooper and for sticking by me.

"You are sure?"

"Of course," I said, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek. She grinned and stared at her present as I returned the box. It wasn't much, but I was touched at my father's small gifts as we left the bank.

It was almost dark when we returned home. I knew it wasn't even six o'clock yet and I was emotionally exhausted from the trying day. I hadn't planned on seeing my mother ever again; today I realized I would never particularly _want _to ever again.

Estrella followed me into the kitchen, watching as I leaned on the counter. She stood across from me, softly touching the bracelet with her fingertips as she admired it.

"Do you like that?"

She nodded. "Of course a girl would like something pretty to wear," she laughed.

I smiled, suddenly getting an idea.

"Do you….do you want more jewelry?"

She shrugged, holding up her wrist.

"I have something pretty," she offered. "That is enough."

I laughed, shaking my head at her innocent tone. "No, I mean like….like rings. You know? Wedding rings?"

She frowned as I gestured to my left hand, touching the same spot on her own slender finger.

"Why would we need these?"

I laughed, shaking my head at her lack of knowledge. She really didn't understand anything about my world, and I was actually a little grateful. I had spent so much of my life as an outsider that I didn't really know much about it either.

All I knew was that I wanted to give her as much as I could.

"We don't, but….we can get married if you want."

She looked at me quizzically.

"What is '_married'_?" she asked, puzzled.

I walked around to her side of the counter, wrapping my arms around her. She molded against my body almost instantly, hugging me close. Leaning back, she looked at me with curiosity.

"Married. Like husband and wife?"

"What does it mean?"

"It means we….well it means we want to be together."

"But we do. We _are_."

"But….but when you get married, you….you have a ceremony, and people come and watch. And then you have a piece of paper saying that you're married."

"I do not understand. Why do the people need to come and see? Do they think you are lying?"

"No," I laughed. "No, I…I guess it's just a happy day and we would want people to be there."

"Why do we need the paper? Is this not allowed? Do we need the paper to live in your house?"

"No, of course not…ah…this…I've explained this poorly. Um, it just means that you belong to each other forever, and…and you can't be with other people like you are with them. And well…it means that you love them."

"But you do belong to me…and I to you. And I do not want anyone else. You are all mine…' she said with a giggle, pressing her nose to my cheek. She chortled again in a silly way, looking over at me with sparkling eyes.

"You mean you don't want to get married then?"

"Collin," she said, her expression serious, "What is this paper for? We have done….well, in the meadow…" she trailed off, her cheeks turning pink. "We are mates, yes? And this '_imprints_'? We must now have the paper and the married now too?"

"No, not if you don't want to. I just…I just want to make sure you're happy with me. That you have everything you could possibly want."

"I do," she whispered, leaning forward to kiss me sweetly. I groaned at the feeling of her lips on mine, my arms instantly tightening around her.

"So you're happy then? Here? And you don't need to get married?"

She nodded her head and laughed, pressing her body against mine in a tight hug. I returned the embrace, vowing to never let her go.

"I love you so much," I whispered. "I'm going to be okay with you."

She smiled into my shoulder.

"Ditto."

"_Ditto_? Where did you learn that?"

She grinned again, biting her lip with a gleam in her eye.

"Television. I must do something while you patrol!"

I laughed and hugged her again, unable to hold myself back. I knew that I needed her in my life more than I would ever need anything else.

Six months ago, I lived in this house by myself, lonelier than I ever thought I would be at my age. I was doing nothing but working and patrolling, hunting the very vampires I both hated and feared. I had nothing to look forward to, nothing to enjoy. My family had all but forgotten me and moved on with their own lives, and I was I guess content with that - they had never mattered much to me and I had never mattered much to them.

Before Estrella, I never mattered much to anyone.

My life was empty.

Meaningless.

Her life had been no picnic either. She, like me, had been alone in a world that had forgotten her. No one cared about her, and no one loved her.

And yet somehow, we had found each other.

We had found each other at the darkest time of our lives.

She was an orphan, no parents or friends or even a home before her brother and sister had found her in the jungle. She had never known love, and really neither had I.

And yet here we were, together at last.

Happy. Whole.

I'll never understand why I imprinted on Estrella - I guess it really was fate. Whatever magic had brought us together knew that we both had only one wish - to love and _be_ loved. Was that why we were brought together? I would never know, and that was fine with me. All I cared about was that we would be together forever. I never wanted to go back to the way I was before she came into my life.

Later that night, we were curled up on the couch together, just watching the rain on the lake below. Estrella was curled into my side as we sat in front of the couch in front of the small fire in my fireplace.

"You mean that when you said you wanted to stay with me forever?"

She lifted her head from my shoulder, turning to gaze at me in the dim light. Picking up my hand, she squeezed it in hers and gave me a soft smile. I tried not to grin as I saw the bracelet I had given her shine in the firelight. It looked absolutely perfect on her arm - she was right. We didn't need rings or papers or anything to prove that we loved each other.

"You are all I will need. Always, Collin. I wait my whole life for you, and I did not know you were waiting for me too. We are lucky, yes?"

I nodded, a grin spreading across my cheeks.

"Yes, we are lucky."

"If you are here for me forever, then I will be here with you."

"Believe me…you're all I need Estrella. Even when I didn't know it. But…I know it now."

She gave me a knowing nod, smiling at me as she reached up and touched my cheek. I turned my head, gazing into her soulful eyes. I saw happiness, new beginnings, and most importantly, I saw forever.

You know, for years I thought I lived in a nightmare. A world of werewolves, vampires, and evil, laced with the underlying fear of what was to come. My horrific world had terrified me for years, but looking back I wouldn't trade it for anything. This life had brought me to this girl - my imprint and soul mate. I realized that I didn't live in a nightmare anymore - I lived in a fairytale in which I had finally gotten my happily ever after with the girls of my dreams.

And I knew I would never need anything more.

* * *

There you have it! Thank you for reading Collin and Estrella's story - I hope you enjoyed it! Remember, there are pics of these two on my blog and I will be posting more pictures of Collin's cabin, Estrella's bracelet, and more pics of these two.

Thank you for reading and reviewing this little fic - it has been a joy to write about them. As I was writing Untouchable, I fought and fought to keep this storyline contained to just that story. However, as I got to know these two through that story it just became impossible - Collin was too miserable and stubborn for his own good, and Estrella was just this character that wouldn't quit. She wasn't satisfied with her short scenes in Untouchable, lol.

**Please review and thank you for reading the last installment of the Untouchable series. **


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